


Alive

by PrincessDystopia



Category: Game Grumps, Ninja Sex Party - Fandom, Skyhill (Band), Starbomb (Band)
Genre: Betrayal, Celebrities, Cussing, Drugs, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Family, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Growth, Hate, Hospitalization, Hospitals, Internet, Let's Play, Love, NSFW, Realistic, Sex, Slow Build, Smut, Video & Computer Games, alive, friends - Freeform, happiness, lots of cussing, new life, ninja sex party
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-17
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2018-07-24 11:23:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 81,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7506349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessDystopia/pseuds/PrincessDystopia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Meet Delta: a 29-year-old Twitch streamer with a deep rooted passion for Rooster Teeth, video games, and her animator/best friend, Truckee. </p><p>For five years, it has been Delta's dream for her channel, Eon Echo Gaming, to take off into something more than just another regular Twitch channel. When Truckee attends a meet-and-greet of her own Internet heroes, the Game Grumps, Delta's days of daydreaming are over. </p><p>With the help of the Grumps, Delta finds her channel growing more popular day by day. Balancing crowded conventions, countless amounts of fan mail, and her stubborn feelings for the Not-So-Grump half of the Game Grumps, Delta realizes that the grass isn't always greener on the other side.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Game Changer

“That's a wrap! Echo out!” 

The screen before her faded to black, giving a reflection of a set mismatched eyes framed by a mane of blonde. Delta stood from her worn desk chair, untangled the headset from around her head, and stretched her arms upward. From the editing room on the other side of the wall, she could hear excited clapping. This was good, she thought. If Truckee was applauding, then Delta must have given some decent enough game play to be added to the YouTube channel.

Pushing out a sigh of relief, Delta glanced at the wall clock. Nearly three in the morning. That gave her two hours to sleep before her alarm would blare and yank her from her dreams. Then work, then home, and then hopefully Truckee would have the footage edited and uploaded by the end of the day.

Wishful thinking. The duo had gotten a late start on their usual Friday night ritual and the viewer counter had suffered because of it. If they were lucky, Eon Echo Gaming would have their next video up by Sunday night.

Delta strolled past the editing room (which in all reality was just Truckee's bedroom) and rapped her knuckles on the door before cracking it open. “Good enough?” she questioned softly as not to wake Truckee's cat, Chief.

“That was perfect!” Truckee exclaimed, whipping around in her chair to face Delta. A cheeky grin spread across her freckled face as Chief dashed from the room. “I think you were born to play Halo, Del. Seriously, you are a beast when you get in your zone! And awesome job answering viewer questions on top of unloading bullets into bodies!”

Delta couldn't help but flash a smile of her own. “Thanks,” she replied sheepishly. “I'm calling it a night. Remember to sleep sometime before noon, okay?”

“You got it! Sleep tight, beast!”

Giving a playful roll of her eyes at the nickname, Delta closed the door and started for her own room. Truckee's compliments swirled about her head, more so the mentioning of the viewer questions. Back when the pair had gotten the idea to start a Twitch channel, neither of them had expected any more than fifty people interested in what they could do. 

However, as Delta's gaming and Truckee's video editing skills grew, more and more people gathered around their devices every Friday night to observe Delta doing what she did best: escape her own life to live through a video game character. Then, the same people would rush to the Eon Echo Gaming YouTube channel the next Saturday to see what Truckee had done with the evidence of it all.

Now, their viewers were becoming increasingly more curious about the lives of the people behind the channels. How old were they? What did they do in their spare time? Were their real names actually “Eon” and “Echo” as they portrayed? As overwhelming as it seemed at times, Delta loved it. She loved the game in itself of dodging questions she didn't want to answer.

Once in her own bedroom, Delta threw herself onto her unmade bed without hesitation. A sharp meow jolted her in surprise and she barely caught sight of the frantic cat sprinting from the room. “Sorry, Cortana!” Delta shouted as if the cat could understand her. She stretched out her legs and struggled about to unclasp her bra before pulling it from the back of her shirt and tossing it on the floor. 

Somewhere outside her apartment building, sirens howled. Delta groaned and pulled her blankets over her head, hoping to block out some of the noise. In all her years living in Reno, the constant police activity was the only thing that irked her, especially since her move toward the downtown area. It had been necessary, though; the commute to work was quicker, the advertising for Eon Echo Gaming during events was easier, and well, she loved the busy life of it all.

“ _Hey, I'm Grump! I'm Not-So-Grump! And we're the Game Grumps!_ ” 

Delta chuckled to herself. Of course Truckee was finishing her night with an episode or six of Game Grumps. She couldn't sleep without it.

(~)

It felt as if she had only blinked before sunlight invaded her eyelids and her phone vibrated furiously on her bedside table. “ _Roses are red and violets are blue. One day we'll cruise down Blood Gulch Avenue,_ ” her alarm sang. “ _It's Red versus Red, and Blue versus Blue. It's I against I, and me against yo--_ ” Without a second thought, she arm extended to turn it off. Another day awaited her.

Rolling over onto her left side, Delta's heart plummeted as she met two emerald eyes. “Truckee!” she screeched, nearly driving her knee into her friend's stomach. “What the fuck?! Why are you in my bed?!” 

Delta sat up and pulled her blankets more securely around herself, mostly so Truckee wouldn't have them. The redheaded beside her curled her lips into a sly smirk. “You can't go to work today,” Truckee declared, propping her head on Delta's pillows. From the dark bags underneath her eyes, Delta could tell she hadn't slept all night. Either she spent the hours editing, or something had happened. Apparently, it was the latter. 

“And why not?”

“Because, remember a few months ago when I told you about that meet-and-greet that Game Grumps was planning?” Truckee spoke so quickly that Delta could barely understand her.

Peeling herself from the bed, Delta began her search for something clean to wear for the day. “Uh, yeah, I think so. Why?” As she undressed and redressed, Truckee prattled on without stopping so much as for a tiny breath.

“Well, they decided to come _here...today_! I mean, not here, here. Y'know, in the apartment, here. That would be awesome. But, like, they're here in Reno. _Reno_ , Del! Where we freakin' live! They posted that they landed an hour ago on their Twitter!” 

Delta wanted to be excited about this – she really did – but Game Grumps was Truckee's obsession. Rooster Teeth was Delta's. If the RT crew had landed in Reno an hour ago, the tables would have been turned. Delta would have been the one nearly bouncing off the walls while Truckee forced herself to give a rat's ass about it. 

“So, they announce a secret meet-and-greet months prior, and then don't give away the location until the day of?” Delta questioned as she fastened her bra around her chest. “Oh, I get it now. You weren't up all night editing. You were waiting for this, weren't you?”

Avoiding eye contact, Truckee wrapped her dainty fingers around a Rooster Teeth lanyard hanging from the corner of Delta's four-poster. “No clue what you're talking about,” she answered sarcastically. “Anyway, like I said, you're not going to work today. You're coming with me to meet them.”

As tempting as calling in to work sounded, Delta shook her head before pulling a shirt over it. “Sorry, I really wish I could be there with you to fulfill your dream, but I really need the money. We can't all have insanely rich grandparents.” 

With a defeated sigh, Truckee swung her bare feet around onto the floor. “Fine,” she murmured, “but you might not ever get a chance like this again, Del.”

Exiting to the bathroom, Delta waved her friend off. “Somehow, I think I'll live!”

(~)

She wished she had taken Truckee up on her offer. Why the hell did she decide to stand in one place for eight hours, ringing up items to people who did nothing but stare or comment on her eyes instead of being around people who were more her type? It was just money, Delta thought. She could always make more some other time.

“You look like you'd rather be anywhere else but here.”

Delta glanced up from her phone she'd been hiding away behind the register for the last two minutes. “Oh, hey Travis,” she murmured, grabbing for his usual Monster and package of Oreos. “Yeah, Walmart hasn't been my favorite place to hang out lately, you know?” 

Along with a gentle smile, Travis handed her a ten dollar bill. “I saw Truckee's Twitter posts,” he commented. “She's at that Game Grumps meet-and-greet, huh?” 

“Mmhm.” Travis should've known better than to try to spark a conversation with her while she was counting money. Placing a few ones and some change into his palm, Delta caught sight of the desperate, pitiful stare in his eyes and immediately felt a hint of dread in her gut. 

“Does she ever ask about me?” There it was: the golden question. 

As good of a friend as Travis was, Delta absolutely could not stand his infatuation with Truckee and their break up. On one hand, Delta understood. Her best friend had broken it off without giving the poor guy any explanation whatsoever. On the other hand, it had been a year since it happened and there was still no sign of Travis moving on. 

“Ah, you know,” Delta started, completely at a loss for words. She had always gotten lucky before; there had always been other customers waiting in line behind Travis, giving her the excuse of being too busy to answer. This time was different. He was the only one in her lane. “She's just been really busy lately with animating for the channel and religiously waiting for Game Grumps to upload more videos.”

With a downcast sigh, Travis cracked open his Monster and drank half of it in one swig. For being more on the skinnier side, it always amazed Delta at how many Monsters he could devour before feeling sick. He was tall, though, so she figured that made up for it. “Yeah,” he said as he tilted the can away from his mouth. “We used to watch Game Grumps together back when it was Jon instead of Dan.” As he rambled on, Delta simply stared and nodded, having absolutely no clue who Jon and Dan were. “I should be there with her! It's only right, right?”

Still, she continued to nod until she realized what he'd said. “W-Wait, what?” she stammered. “I-I don't know if--” 

“Thanks for the help, Del!” Travis practically yelled as he started on his way out of the store. “I'll see you later! Oh, and that Halo streaming last night was badass! Definitely worth staying up for!”

Instead of chasing after him like she should have, Delta stayed at her register, entirely dumbfounded at what just happened. Travis had always kept an eye out for any sign that Truckee would take him back, but this was just downright insane. 

Unfortunately, Delta knew that if there was any hope of that happening, she may have just ruined it by not saying anything at all.

(~)

Three text messages and four missed calls all from Truckee. The moment Delta saw it all light up her phone when she clocked out for a break, her heart began to race. Something had happened. Maybe there had been a shooting or she had gotten kidnapped? As Delta's thumbs mashed against her screen, she felt as if her phone couldn't keep up.

“ _Call me,_ ” all three of Truckee's texts had read, and yet the first attempt at calling her ultimately failed with her voicemail. 

“ _Hey! This is Truckee! Sorry I didn't pick up! I'm probably busy or sleepi--_ ” 

“Fuck,” Delta hissed as she took a seat on one of the nearby plastic chairs and jabbed at the “end call” button. On the next try, Truckee answered at the first ring.

“Delta!”

“Truckee, what's wrong?!” Delta jumped back to her feet and placed back and forth throughout the break room. “What happened?!”

“Holy hell, Del. You're never going to believe this shit,” Truckee said breathlessly. For the most part, she sounded fine, which took the feeling of bricks out of Delta's stomach. 

“Believe what shit?”

“So, I met them, right? I met the freakin' Game Grumps. It was just Arin, Suzy, and Dan, but I met them! Coolest humans ever, I swear! Anyway, I asked if they would sign my Game Grumps shirt and they did, but while they were signing it, Suzy asked what I did for a living, so I told them about Eon Echo. They fucking watch us every Friday! They love you, Del!”

Once again, Delta sat down, her legs slowly turning to jello. Sure, she wasn't a fan of the Game Grumps, but they were huge. And they liked what the two of them had been working so hard on for the last five years. While Truckee went on, Delta's head spun and filled with a buzzing sound. 

“Suzy loves your eyes and Arin think your one of the best Halo payers out there. They asked for my number, Delta! They want to work with us on some of their episodes, like having us as Guest Grumps! The freakin' Game Grumps want to work with us!” 

Delta's mouth ran dry as she tried to find something – _anything_ – to say. “Um, okay,” she finally managed to squeak out. “Th-This isn't a joke, right?” Maybe Travis had caught up with Truckee already and this was her revenge. 

“Why would I joke about this?! Do you even know me at all?! Have these fifteen years of friendship meant nothing to you?!” Although Truckee tried to pass her interrogation off as seriously as she could, her voice was riddled with giggles. “This is the real thing, Delta. Five years of doing this is finally going to pay off.” 

“Holy sh--”

“O-Oh, oh jeez, _seriously?_ Of all the places, he decides to show up here?! Ugh, sorry Delta, I have to go. Freakin' Travis just showed up. I'll talk to you when you get home. Love you, bye!”

The line went dead and the phone lowered from Delta's ear. After the screen faded to black, she stared at her own reflection. Her eyes, each of their colors suddenly more beautiful than she had ever realized, lit up as an ecstatic grin grew on her lips. 

This was going to be a game changer.


	2. Plus One Confidence

“I seriously feel like I'm going to barf.”

“Please don't. If you barf, I'm going to barf and that is not on my list of things I want to deal with today.”

After clocking out for the day at work, Delta had rushed home, passing every speed limit sign without a glance. Luckily, she had evaded cops and only had to stop at one light. Her phone conversation with Truckee had left her in a constant state of shock and disbelief. Holding onto the steering wheel with sweaty hands had proved to be much more difficult than she had originally thought it would be. 

Part of her still held onto the possibility that this was a sick joke. Why would a gaming group with over three million YouTube subscribers want anything to do with two amateurs who had little to no idea what they were doing? But the way Truckee clung to her phone, waiting for a text or a call, slowly started to convince Delta that maybe it wasn't a joke after all. 

“Maybe they won't even call,” Truckee thought aloud, clutching her phone to her chest tightly. “Maybe this is something they do to other people who game like we do.” Her usual chipper tone suddenly fell flat, hopeless. 

Delta narrowed her eyes as she watched Truckee's shoulders slump and her fingers relax around her phone. “What do you mean?” she questioned, her voice harsher than she intended. 

Taking a seat across from Delta at their kitchen table, Truckee shrugged and placed her phone on the stacks of old, forgotten drawings in front of her. “What if they just ask for numbers to give people false hope?” she suggested. “I mean, it's been almost six hours.”

Aside from spiders, Delta didn't hate anything more than seeing Truckee so downcast. In the fifteen years that they'd been friends, Delta had only seen this side of her a handful of times and each time it happened, she found herself wanting to brawl with whoever caused it. 

“They could just be really busy,” Delta offered, hoping she could pull her best friend from this rut. “I mean, that meet-and-greet could still be going on. Have they posted on their Twitter since that update of their landing?”

Cupping her cheek in her left hand, Truckee user her right to unlock her phone, take a quick scroll through her texts, and open the Game Grumps Twitter page. “Just a picture of Dan underneath the Reno arch before the meet-and-greet,” she mumbled against the skin of her palm before turning the phone toward Delta.

The sight of the picture forced a chuckle from Delta's mouth. Sporting an “I heart Reno” shirt, whoever this Dan guy was stood proudly underneath the famous arch downtown, which was only a few blocks from the apartment that Delta and Truckee shared, with both hands flashing his thumbs. “Just Danny showing his love for the biggest little city!” the caption for the picture read.

“That man has some beautiful hair,” Delta commented when Truckee reclaimed her phone. 

“His majestic fro? Yeah, it's pretty great.”

Delta stood from the table and extended her hand toward Truckee. “Come on. There's no sense in sitting around doing nothing while we wait. Let's crack open that wine we bought the other day and watch an episode of Game Grumps, yeah?”

Delta had never before offered to actually sit down for more than a minute to watch anything Game Grumps related. The moment the words “wine” and “Game Grumps” came from her mouth, Truckee's eyes regained their familiar eager spark. 

Before she knew it, Delta stood alone in the kitchen, wrestling with the bottle of red wine while Truckee prepared the computer in Delta's office. She hoped Truckee wasn't right about the group – that they just got people's hopes up for no reason. It just seemed like such a shitty thing to do, especially to someone who idolized them like Truckee did.

Thinking herself into the same sort of rut Truckee had been in only minutes before, Delta pictured her own reaction if Rooster Teeth had done something like that. A hard lump of bitterness gathered in her throat and her teeth hitched onto the inside of her cheek. 

Finally, the cork popped from the bottle. Delta knew her thoughts were ridiculous, but it forced her to understand how Truckee must have felt. Grabbing two plastic cups, she filled one with only a few sips worth of wine and the other with the rest of what was in the bottle. 

By the time she entered the office, Truckee had already picked a video and had paused it before it could actually start. Both Chief and Cortana had claimed their spots on the desk and mewed their complaints as Delta shooed them away to make room for the wine. “So,” she said, placing the fuller cup on Truckee's side of the desk, “since we're going to be working with them and I know absolutely nothing, could you clue me in on who's who?”

As if the wine and suggestion to watch Game Grumps together wasn't enough, Truckee's mood skyrocketed at this request. For the next hour, they watched video after video, Truckee's mouth not staying closed for more than ten seconds. Although she had literally asked for it, Delta became so overwhelmed with information about Game Grumps that she eventually fell into her defense: nodding and letting out noises of acknowledgment every so often, even though whatever she was hearing went in one ear and right out the other. 

By the time Truckee decided to take a bathroom break, Delta had truly learned only two things. One; Arin was the starting point for Game Grumps, and two; Dan had the most pleasant voice she'd ever heard. Every time he laughed, the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stood straight. She felt as if she could listen to him talk for days without growing tired of it.

Peering into Truckee's cup, Delta pressed her lips into a thin line. It was no wonder she had to suddenly pee; there wasn't a single drop of wine left. Delta took her second sip of her own wine and curled her nose the same way she had with the first sip. Ultimately, she placed her cup back on the desk. Truckee could finish it for her if she really wanted to, which she probably would.

“I feel so much better!” Truckee declared as she nearly kicked the door to the office open. “I hate having to pee. Don't you?”

“Only in extreme cases--”

“ _Yo, what up, bitch? I'mma tell you a tale._ ” Truckee's phone lit up with life, her favorite Starbomb song filling the room. “ _About how Ash Ketchum got his ass sent to jail._ ” In her drunken haze, Truckee just barely avoided tripping over her own feet trying to get to her phone. “ _Beat the Elite Four--_ ” 

“Hello?!” she barked, struggling to hold the phone to her ear and sit down at the same time. Delta could hear a female voice on the other end, but couldn't make out anything she was saying. From the way Truckee's face flushed, it could have either been very good or very bad. “Uh, could you give me a second, please?”

She lowered the phone, pressed the mute button, and covered her face with her free hand. “What, what?!” Delta demanded. “Who is it?!”

“It's Suzy and I'm plastered! Of all the times for me to be drunk! Damn it!”

Delta hesitated before opening her mouth again. “Who's Suzy?” she asked cautiously, knowing that she should have been fully aware of the answer. 

Letting out a frustrated groan, Truckee threw her head back. “Have I taught you nothing the entire time we've been sitting here?! Suzy is Arin's wife, from Game Grumps!”

She wasn't sure why, but Delta was genuinely surprised. Actually witnessing what Game Grumps was all about moved her to believe that they weren't the type of people who would let people down like she had assumed earlier, but at the same time, she also hadn't expected them to call. 

“Just play it cool,” Delta said. “Pretend like you're not even drun--”

“No!” Truckee snapped, thrusting the phone toward her. “You have to talk to her. I can't do it right now.”

Delta knew better than to argue with an intoxicated Truckee. Ignoring the internal screaming in her head, she took the phone, counted down from three, and took it off mute. “Hello? Is this Suzy?” she asked. 

“Yeah, hi!” Suzy chirped. Delta had never heard her voice clearly before and she wondered if all the members of Game Grumps had the voices of angels. Even Arin was pleasant to listen to, when he wasn't screaming at the game he was playing. “Is this Eon?”

For a moment, the name threw Delta for a loop. Nobody had ever used their nicknames over the phone, or in person, or anywhere that wasn't over a computer screen. “N-No, this is Echo,” she replied after a moment. “Eon had to uh, pay for a pizza?” Her excuse came out as a question, completely lacking in confidence.

“Is it really?! Hi! It's so nice to finally talk with you! I'm a huge fan of your streaming and your eyes!”

It all felt so backwards having someone as well-known and adored practically gushing over Delta. It should have been the other way around, if she had been a Game Grumps fan. Even so, it left her speechless and in a terribly awkward position. 

“Thank you so much,” Delta shot back meekly, the small amount of wine churning in her stomach. “It's uh, really awesome to have you say that.”

“So sorry for the late call. The meet-and-greet took a little longer than we thought it would. Anyway, Arin and I would love to talk with you two in person and we haven't eaten yet. We were going to invite you to Wendy's, but since you've already got a pizz--”

“We'll be there!” Delta nearly yelled into the phone. “The pizza was, um, well, it was a wrong order.”

“Awesome! Well, I mean, sorry about the pizza, but we're stoked to meet you! Be there in thirty minutes?”

“Y-Yeah! See you in thirty!”

After hanging up the phone, Delta turned her head toward Truckee, who had been staring at her like a deer in headlights the entire time. “Well?” Truckee urged impatiently. 

Exhaling slowly, Delta cupped her friend's cheek in her hand. “Clean yourself up, Eon,” she ordered with a growing smirk. “We're having dinner with the Game Grumps.”

(~)

“Oh god. Oh my god. I can't do this, Del. I'm still drunk. What if I throw up all over them?”

Delta let out a lengthy sigh, staring hard at the red light in front of her. “Look,” she muttered as she curled her fingers tighter around the steering wheel, “I saved Suzy's number in your phone. You can call her back right now and cancel, or you can chill out and I'll keep driving whenever this light turns green – _if_ it ever does.” They'd been sitting at the same, unchanging light for what felt like hours, which wasn't helping Truckee's nerves at all. 

“Are you insane? I'm not going to flake out on hanging out with the Game Grumps!” she spouted, carelessly flailing her arms about. “This has been my dream since I started watching them!”

Long ago, Delta had learned that there was no winning when it came to Truckee after alcohol had been settling inside her. She was very much a lightweight and once she fell over the line of being just buzzed, she turned into a walking contradiction. 

After a moment of silence, the light turned green and Delta's foot rammed into the gas pedal. As much as she didn't want to show it, she was probably just as nervous as Truckee. The entire day had been like a slap to the face, completely flipping her world upside down. The last twelve hours seemed almost like a dream – one that she was just waiting to wake up from. 

“Okay, when we get in there, just...act like someone who isn't hammered,” Delta said as she pulled into the Wendy's parking lot. “Just be your normal self without the booze.”

Truckee stared forward, her gaze locked on the three bodies huddled together at a table inside. “Okay, yeah,” she breathed. “I got this. Plus one confidence.”

“Plus one confidence,” Delta repeated, her own stare lingering on the back of the fro she barely knew as Dan. 

Time seemed to slow once the pair was out of the car. Truckee held the door to the restaurant open, suddenly looking more sober than she had in hours, and let Delta walk in before her. Hearing the door open, the trio four tables down lifted their heads in her direction and simultaneously stood from their chairs. 

The tallest of the group kept Delta's attention. Standing at a good foot and a half higher than her, Delta recognized the hair and the goofy grin from the picture Truckee had shown her earlier. As he locked his phone in slipped it into his pocket, Delta realized they'd been watching a video of one of her old Fable streaming sessions from two years ago. 

Dan was the first to say anything and when he did, every ounce of anxiety and fear fled Delta's body. “Took you long enough!” he teased, his melodic voice dripping with sarcasm.

Finally, there was a face to match the voice. In the picture, Dan had been too far away for anyone to see the features of his being, and as Delta gawked at him as they approached her, she could only think of a single phrase to whisper to herself.

“Holy shit.”


	3. To New Friendships

How could someone maintain a presence of gorgeousness and grace while inhaling a hamburger without seemingly taking a moment to actually chew the food before swallowing it? It remained a complete mystery to Delta and she couldn't take her eyes off him.

Dan was absolutely one of the most handsome men she'd ever met in her entire life. From the way his eyes – a deep chestnut that reminded her of rustic cabins in the middle of forests – crinkled at the edges when he laughed, to the way he corners of his lips curled into silent smirks, Delta's heart nearly skipped a beat every time he almost acknowledged her. 

Almost.

That was the one odd thing she noticed about him: he wouldn't look at her. At least, not directly. He'd gotten close twice, both times his gaze extending only as close as her shoulder and her chin. Delta had dealt with this sort of thing before. There weren't many, but people who didn't want to comment on her eyes simply didn't look at them. 

This time was different. Delta _wanted_ Dan to look at them. 

“...right, Echo?” A harsh pinch to her thigh brought Delta back to reality. Hiding the fact that she slapped Truckee's hand away underneath the table by shifting her weight, she pulled her mouth into a paper thin smile. 

“I'm sorry, what?” she asked innocently. “I kind of zoned out there for a bit. These fries are just too damn good.” She reached for a fry and hoped they wouldn't notice it was the first on she'd touched the whole time they'd been sitting there. 

Delta could almost hear the frustration coursing through Truckee's veins. “I was just saying,” Truckee muttered, “that you and I are still a little shocked that we're all meeting. We've been Game Grumps fans for years.” It was almost as if she was trying to convince both Delta and the Grumps to believe that lie. 

“Oh, yeah,” Delta remarked, watching the subtle grin on Arin's face grow. “Huge fans. I just have one...Well, not really a concern. I guess I'm just curious.” 

Arin, through a mouthful of fries, mumbled, “About what?”

Every pair of eyes fell on Delta, with the exception of Dan's. She hesitated, suddenly wishing she would've just kept her mouth shut. “Don't get me wrong,” she started, her leg beginning to bounce underneath the table. “We're stoked that you wanted to meet with us and everything, but why? I mean, I know you're not supposed to give a horse a gift to the mouth or however the saying goes--”

“Don't look a gift horse in the mouth,” Dan corrected, his eyes finally flashing to meet hers. Delta could've sworn time ticked down to a drag and they stared at each other for hours. Then again, she may have been contact drunk from Truckee, if such a thing existed. 

“Yeah, that,” Delta continued once Dan had turned his attention back to his burger. “Eon and I barely have five hundred people who watch our Twitch streaming and we just hit seven hundred subscribers on YouTube. There isn't a gamer alive who doesn't know who you guys are.” 

Obviously tired of the reminder that the pair hadn't hit their one thousand subscriber goal in five years, Truckee crumbled her burger wrapper in her hands, making a point to be as loud as possible. “What's your point, Echo?” she hissed. 

“My point is, is that compared to Game Grumps, Eon Echo Gaming is nothing.” Maybe Delta was being a little too harsh, but she found it to be true. “I guess what I want to know is: why us?”

Arin held up a finger, silently telling her to let him swallow his food before expecting an answer. Once the food was on its way to his stomach, he took an exceedingly long drag on his soda, gulping twice before looking at her. “Because you're good,” he finally told. “Dan and I watch your streaming every week if we aren't tied up doing something else, and Ross and Barry go on a date with each other at a computer every time a video gets uploaded.” 

Compiling random pieces of trash scattered about the table onto the tray in front of her, Suzy agreed with a nod. “We get people all the time wanting us to check out their gaming content. As much as we'd like to, we just don't have time to look into them all.” 

After another sip from his straw, Arin took lead of the conversation again. “When Eon asked me to sign her Game Grumps shirt, I asked what her name was.”

“And it was so cute!” Suzy added with a wide grin, her eyes shifting sideways toward Dan. “When she said she was Eon, Danny was like, 'Oh, from Eon Echo Gaming!' She said she was Eon from Eon Echo Gaming and he just got so excited!”

“I'm pretty sure he got a boner under the table we were at,” Arin teased, reaching over to gently stroke his pointer finger down Dan's arm. 

“True story,” Dan said with a melodic laugh. Once again, Delta's stomach flipped. 

It was flattering, she thought. From the way Truckee sat completely still, not uttering a single word, Delta could tell she felt the same way. Neither of them had been the best at receiving compliments. Where Truckee froze, Delta would immediately change the subject. 

“You mentioned something about working with us,” Delta motioned, watching in her peripheral as her best friend's shoulders relaxed and an exhale escaped her mouth. Had she been holding her breath the entire time the Grumps had been talking? “Or, Eon said you did, at least.”

“Yeah, we're always looking for people to have on Guest Grumps,” Arin eagerly replied as he shook his empty cup side to side and listened to the ice rattling about. “You guys are probably busy here in Reno and we still have some stuff lined up back home, so it won't be for a few months. It would be pretty sick to have you in a few of our videos.”

Hearing Arin reinforce what Truckee had screamed in her ear over the phone earlier that day only made Delta finally realize that this wasn't some crazy dream. It wasn't a joke or some sort of mean trick. It was nothing but real. 

In her mind, Delta imagined accepting the offer as if she were accepting an award in front of millions of people who cheered and applauded when her name was called. Cameras would flash as she stood at a podium to give thanks to her family, who only fueled her by not supporting her dream of being a professional gamer, and to Truckee, who did. 

Both fortunately and unfortunately, this was reality. She was at a Wendy's, not at awards show. So, instead of a long, tear-filled speech, she simply lifted her shoulders in a nonchalant shrug and said, “Yeah. Okay.”

With an almost too quiet ting noise and a jolt of surprise, Suzy fished her phone from her purse and sighed heavily at the name on the screen. She let both Arin and Danny – who shook their heads simultaneously – have a quick glance before answering. “Hey. Yeah, I know. Sorry. Just having dinner with some friends.” Truckee delivered a sneaky slap to Delta's thigh, apparently pleased with the fact that Suzy referred to them as her friends. “Don't worry about the rental car. I know. Before noon. Okay. Okay. Bye.”

Once her phone had been dropped back into her purse, Suzy met Truckee's avid gaze with a much more regretful one. Whoever had been on the other end of the line was obviously very concerned with the whereabouts of the Grumps. 

“Time to dip out?” Arin inquired to his wife, who answered with a nod. 

“It's okay,” Delta rushed to get out. “We should probably head out too. I'm just going to grab a milkshake before we go.” She slid out from the booth, her knees popping softly as she stood. It felt so nice to be upright again. As much as she loved talking with her new friends, Delta's legs had been bouncing so much from sheer nervousness that she was sure she'd have calves of steel when she woke up the next morning. 

“Hold up. I'll go with you.” Dan stood from his side of the booth, towering over Delta as he raised his arms in a stretch. “Milkshakes only sound good when someone else suggests it.”

Although the comment wasn't meant for him, Arin made some sort of strange snorting noise. “That's a lie,” he declared. 

As Dan and Delta made their way toward the counter, the young girl behind the register stood idly by. A pretty brunette who couldn't have been any older than sixteen, she faced them with a bored expression and her arms crossed over her chest defensively. “Order when you're ready,” she deadpanned. 

Dan leaned a few inches closer to Delta and questioned, “What flavor are you getting?”

Delta curled her hands into fists, trying to get rid of the sweat collecting on her palms. “I'm not sure.” God, why was she so sweaty? The answer came more quickly than it should have: there was an extremely handsome man standing not two feet from her and he was actually talking to her for once. “Probably just vanilla. I'm boring like that.”

Confusion struck her as Dan approached the cashier girl and grabbed for his wallet in his back pocket. “Could I get two medium vanilla shakes, please?”

As if processing the transaction was a form of torture, the girl huffed sharply, said the total amount, and practically yanked the card from his hand. “Dan, you don't have to pay for me!” Delta exclaimed as she rushed to his side. 

Dan slid his card back into his wallet and peered down at her. Just like before, everything around them seemed to slow. Back at the table, Truckee and Suzy both broke out into a harmonious fit of laughter. “Think of it as me christening this new friendship,” Dan chimed, those beautiful dark pools crinkling at the edges as he smiled. 

“Christening it with milkshakes?” Delta asked as she fought back a goofy grin of her own. “You know she's probably spitting in them, right? She obviously hates us for giving her business.”

Much to her chagrin, Dan pulled his gaze from hers to peer toward the cooking equipment behind the counter. “Well, if you taste spit in yours, I'll let you have some of mine,” he offered in a tone that made Delta wonder if the thought of spit in the shakes had actually upset him. However, when he turned his head back toward her, her doubts vanished. “But you have to do the same for me because that's what friends do. And I have a feeling we're going to be really good friends.”

In the span of fifteen minutes, Dan had flipped on her. He went from avoiding her stare to refusing to look away. And now he was offering to share a milkshake with her? “What makes you say that?” Delta urged.

“We both wanted vanilla shakes.”

“That's all?”

After that felt like an eternity, the young girl returned with two identical cups in her hands. Dan uttered a quick word of thanks to her, took the cups, hand handed one to Delta. “That's all,” he repeated before tapping the lid of his cup onto hers. “To new friendships.” 

With every passing moment she spent with him, Delta could feel herself falling harder and harder into whatever strange crush that had sprouted the second she first settled her eyes on him. Returning the lid tap, she brought the straw to her lips and sucked graciously. She closed her eyes, savoring the flavor. 

“You okay? You look like you're having a little too much fun with that,” Dan joked, bringing his own straw to his lips. 

Delta took a moment to swallow before looking back to him. “This is the best fucking milkshake I've ever had.” 

“No spit?”

“No, surprisingly.” 

She wanted to tell herself that there was some sort of hidden meaning behind Dan's next words. Then again, he barely knew her, and she was nothing more than a woman from afar practically drooling over him. 

“Darn,” Dan muttered, casting a wink her way. “Maybe next time.”


	4. Exposure

“Are you going to look up from that thing and actually talk to us?”

Delta's head shot up, her gaze ripped away from the cellphone in her lap – away from the text she'd just received from Dan. Before her sat two of her older brothers, identical frowns plastered on their identical faces.

The two eldest of the five, Dylan and Dustin were the same in nearly every way: the direction in which they first looked when crossing streets, their favorite and least favorite foods, and their annoying habit of scrutinizing Delta's life every time she met with them. The only difference between the two was that Dustin had a boyfriend and Dylan had recently married his girlfriend of ten years.

“Sorry,” Delta muttered, supporting her phone between her legs while her hands gripped for the menu in front of her. To be honest, she was ravished, but reading Dan's text was the only thing on her mind.

After meeting with the Grump trio at Wendy's, Delta and Truckee had begun their trek home in near silence. With Delta focusing on steadying her trembling hands enough to drive, Truckee was free to glue her eyes to her phone, which buzzed with a heavy flow of texts. 

Half way through the drive, Delta's own phone had chirped. “That's probably Dan,” Truckee had admitted. “Suzy said he wanted your number. Hope you don't mind.” She knew Delta wouldn't.

That had been two weeks ago and the only message Delta had received from him was, “ _Hey, it's Dan! Save the digits!_ ”

She had texted him back the moment her shitty little Honda had slowed to a stop, but no reply came.

“What are you guys getting?” Delta peered over the top of her menu and frowned on the brunette beauties in front of her. Their emerald eyes shone with a hint of boredom. 

“Chicken Picatta,” they answered simultaneously. 

Delta sighed and gave the menu another chance. “Figures.”

Once their waiter had returned and taken their orders (Delta had ultimately decided on a serving of Fettuccine Alfredo), the twins propped their elbows on the table and cupped their chins in their palms. “So, Mom wants to know,” Dylan began, but his sister rolled her eyes and shook her head. 

“Tell her the same thing I said the last time she wanted to know.” Delta grabbed for a piece of bread, skipped the small mound of butter that had been offered on the side, and popped it into her mouth. “I'm too busy with my Twitch streaming to get involved with anyone.”

Narrowing his eyes, Dustin scolded her sharply, “You really need to quit talking with your mouth full. It's gross.”

Delta took a moment to swallow before dignifying that comment with an answer. “And you guys need to stop doing the same exact thing at the same exact time. It's creepy.”

“We don't!” they defended in unison. 

“Yeah, okay.” Delta's voice dripped with sarcasm, one of their least favorite things. Before they had a chance to team up against her on that, she grabbed her phone and stood from her seat. “I'm going to use the bathroom before our food comes.” As she strolled from the table, she brushed the crumbs from her shirt.

Inside the one place her brothers couldn't follow, Delta locked herself in a stall and hurried to open Dan's text. “ _I've had the worst craving for a vanilla shake and I can't go get one for at least another 3 hours. You're the only person I know who can relate. Anyway, how's your day going?_ ”

Delta almost let out a grateful moan. Handsome, amiable, and used good grammar in his texts? Dan, she decided, was the perfect human being. Twiddling out a reply, she found herself thinking of how good a vanilla shake suddenly sounded. Maybe Arin had been right? 

“ _Now you've got me craving one. Thanks a bunch, Dan._ ” It felt as if her thumbs couldn't move quickly enough. “ _My day is going swell. Having lunch with my brothers at the moment and then I'm off to do some streaming. The joys of Fridays! How about your day? Anything exciting enough to indulge me in?_ ”

With the text sent, Delta decided to wait a few more minutes before returning to the twins. She opened the YouTube app and smiled at the new number of subscribers to Eon Echo Gaming. The channel had gained thirteen more since the night before. It wasn't much, but every increase counted, no matter how big or small. Before she could close it out, her phone vibrated again. 

“ _Sorry! I'd totally get one with you if we weren't 500 miles apart. My day is spectacular, with the exception that I'm currently without a delicious frozen beverage. Arin and I are going to push out a quick video before watching your stream! He says hi!_ ” 

Another text came before Delta finished reading the first.

“ _Just a suggestion, but you should start streaming on Mondays, too! Mainly because Arin and I are selfish dicks and those are the only days we aren't incredibly swamped._ ”

Delta pondered on that. Two days of streaming for three hours didn't sound so bad. It would certainly bring in more viewers, which was a plus for both the Twitch and YouTube channels. However, it would be a little more work on Truckee's end, but it wasn't as if she did anything besides animate and spend five hours a day at the gym.

“ _I'll definitely talk to Eon about it,_ ” Delta replied, nearly giving out Eon's true name. “ _I don't see an issue with it. Thanks for the suggestion!_ ” The second she sent the text, an incoming call popped up, Dylan's grinning face invading her screen.

“Can a girl pee in peace?!” she barked into the phone.

“The food is here and it's getting cold,” Dylan retorted. “Dam the flow or I'm eating your plate!”

Delta made sure to wash her hands before leaving. That way, they had absolutely nothing else to gripe at her about. Or so she thought.

Not even a minute into inhaling her food, her brothers gave each other a wary glance that she knew all too well. “What?” she mumbled, cheeks filled with lukewarm, creamy pasta.

“We're just worried about you,” Dustin assured meekly. 

“The whole family is,” Dylan added. “You're almost thirty, Del.”

“Don't remind me,” she hissed too low for them to hear.

“When are you going to put this Eternity Echo thing behind you and actually do something with your life? You have so much potential for better things.”

Delta mentally groaned. She'd had this conversation with her family so many times that it was just exhausting now. “When I'm six feet under,” she snapped. “Also, it's Eon Echo and we have over seven hundred YouTube subscribers. Thank you very much.”

Glancing at nothing in particular to his left, Dylan wiped his mouth with his napkin before setting it back onto his lap. “Delta, when Dustin and I were your age, we were fighting for his country, not wasting our lives playing video games for strangers.”

That was the one thing she abhorred about the twins: they always threw the fact that they served in the Marine Corps in her face. “And I applaud you both, like I do every single time one of you brings it up.” She lifted her hands in a series of soft clapping. “Video games are the only thing I'm good at. I literally have no other skill sets besides killing aliens or demons or mutated humans, okay?” 

Dustin huffed in irritation. “What about ballet? You were pretty good at that in high school.”

Delta's eyes grew in both humor and disbelief. “I sucked at ballet!” Honestly, how could he even imply that she had anything going for her in that field? “I only kept up with it because Mom couldn't stop going on about how proud she was of me for doing something other than what I had to do!”

Closing her eyes, she took a moment to reign control over her rising irritation. There was no arguing with them. Like herself, they were stubborn. Mixing their stubbornness with hers only ended in yelling and calls from Mom and Dad, saying how Delta should listen to her brothers because they're older. 

“Look,” she said, her voice nothing but calm, “it's very...nice that you're all so worried about what's going on in my life, but it's not going to change what Truckee and I are doing. You guys were born with Dad's ideals in your hands, and I was born with a controller in mine. We're just different.” 

Pressing their mouths into thin lines, both men picked up their forks and continued to eat. “Whatever you say, Delta.”

(~)

“So, I have a question.”

Delta leaned against the door frame leading into Truckee's room, watching as her friend frantically darted from one end of the room to the other. “I probably have an answer,” she shot back without ceasing her odd behavior. As she spoke, she flipped over her pillows and blankets, rummaged through the papers cluttered on her desk, and yanked the doors to her closet open.

“What are you looking for?”

“ _That's_ your question?”

“Well, no, but I can help you look if I knew what you were tearing your room apart for.”

In an instant, Truckee came to a halt, her fiery hair sticking up every which way. “My phone,” she breathed. “I left it on silent because I was trying to push out some new animations without any distractions and now I can't find the freakin' thing.”

Looking upon Truckee, stressed to all hell and probably ready to rip someone's head off, Delta decided that maybe it wasn't a good time to suggest they both double their workload. “Okay. Chill out, yeah? We'll find it. It's not like it can sprout legs and wander off.”

As the two searched the three bedroom apartment, Delta wished her own phone would sound. Dan had stopped texting her when she rejoined her brothers back at the restaurant. She figured he was busy; he did mention doing a video with Arin, after all. Glancing at the clock, she realized she only had an hour before her regular streaming time. Having enough time to engage in another casual conversation with Dan seemed nearly impossible at this point.

“Found it!” came Truckee's suddenly cheerful voice from the kitchen. Delta poked her head around the corner to catch sight of the redhead standing near the dining table, unlocking her phone with one hand and petting Chief with the other. “This fat ass was laying on it the entire time.”

“So, about that quest--”

“Hey! Game Grumps uploaded a new video! C'mon!” Fifteen years of friendship and Delta was still amazed at how Truckee's mood could completely flip over the smallest of things. Not even five minutes ago, she was sulking and cursing herself for misplacing her phone, and now she was bouncing into her bedroom toward her computer, dragging Delta by the hand. 

“They're pretty quick at uploading them,” Delta remarked with a tired sigh as she made herself comfortable on Truckee's bed. 

Truckee clicked away on her mouse, pulling up YouTube as quickly as she could. “It usually takes about a week after they record it for Barry to edit and upload it. This one is a little early. I wasn't expecting another segment so soon,” she prattled on. 

“ _Hey, I'm Grump! I'm Not-So-Grump! And we're the Game Grumps!_ ”

Delta's heart slammed against her chest at the sight of Dan on the screen. He sat to Arin's left, the both of them grinning wildly at the camera. “Hey guys!” he greeted, lifting his hand in a quick wave. Delta still could not get over how handsome that man was. 

Truckee, sitting cross-legged in her worn computer chair, shifted her weight. “Weird,” she commented. “They usually only open videos like this when they have an announcement. I haven't heard anything...” Delta barely heard her; her attention was glued to Dan's face. 

“So, two things,” Arin started, dramatically shoving two fingers toward the camera. “One! We recently held a spur of the moment meet-and-greet in Reno, Nevada. We loved it so much that we're going to do another one at the same GameStop on these days!” Pointing toward the top right corner of the screen, Arin let out gasping noises that sounded more like he was choking as two dates a month in the future popped up. 

Delta noticed Truckee's knuckles turn bone white around the arms of her chair. She had to admit that although she probably wasn't as excited as her friend, her lips did curl into a tiny smirk. It was another opportunity to get milkshakes with Dan.

“Mark your calenders, Reno people,” Dan added, lifting his brows in such a way that make Delta's palms sweat, “because we're going to be all up in your shit that weekend.”

“And the second thing--”

“Hey! You said I could do this one!”

“Oh, yeah. Go ahead, dude.”

Dan's gaze turned from Arin's face to the camera. Whatever he was about to announce obviously was something he was extremely stoked about; his eyes sparkled with glee and his grin doubled in size. Then, the Eon Echo Gaming logo, the same one Truckee had designed herself when they started, popped onto the screen right over Arin's face.

“Holy fuck,” Delta and Truckee whispered simultaneously.

“Arin, Suzy, and I had the pleasure of meeting the two amazingly talented women behind Eon Echo Gaming while we were in Reno. Seriously, some of the coolest people come from that city and we're still freaking out that we had the chance to sit down and talk with them.”

Truckee, without looking away from her computer, reached over and grabbed Delta's hand. “I'm going to puke,” she confessed. Like Delta's, her palm was moist and sticky. 

“Echo is a badass Halo player,” Dan continued, causing Delta's mouth to run dry. “She streams a ton of other games on Twitch, but Arin and I have watched her play Halo for probably longer than most of you have been alive.” She couldn't help but let out a breathy chuckle at this. “And her editor and animator, Eon, is top-notch, guys. Like, Barry level good.”

“A baby is better than Barry,” Arin chimed in behind the logo.

Dan laughed and Delta swore she felt her heart drop into her ass. He thought she was talented. Dan, someone who had been a thousand times more successful than her, thought she was “a badass Halo player.”

“Then Eon is better than Barry,” Dan went on. “All our lovelies out there should give our new friends a look! Echo streams every Friday and Monday night, and Eon uploads a new video to their YouTube channel the day after! You can find their link in the description for this video!” Both men pointed downward. 

Turning ever so slowly in her chair, Truckee dropped Delta's hand. “Mondays?” she questioned softly.

Delta couldn't help but wince. If she had known Dan was going to let the whole world know the same day, she would've made more of an effort to ask Truckee about it. “Well, cat's out of the bag now,” she joked with a shrug. “That's what I wanted to ask you about. If you don't want to, I can text Dan and--”

“I'm game.”

“You are?”

Truckee's lips tugged upward at the edges. “Yeah. I mean, I need to practice more if I want to stay better than Barry.”

(~)

Delta had streamed her gameplay hundreds of times before. Never had she been so nervous to the point that her voice trembled and her hands were almost too sweaty to hold her controller. This time, however, was a little different.

Instead of the usual five hundred, there were 6,284 people and counting watching her. All because of Dan and Arin.

Ruefully, Delta decided to end her streaming ten minutes earlier than she normally did, hoping her usual viewers wouldn't notice. She knew she still had to address the Monday issue, so as she set her controller to the side, she counted down from three in her head before looking at the webcam above her TV with a sheepish grin. 

“Hey guys,” she started, forcing as much confidence into her voice as possible. “First of all, I want to thank all my viewers for being here to watch me. I can't express how much I appreciate every single one of you. I want to take a moment to answer a few questions that came up during my streaming.” 

Her heartbeat in her ears nearly drowned out the sound of her voice. The only time that had happened was the very first time she exposed her face for strangers across the world to see. 

“Yes, I will be doing this on Monday nights now at the same time! Don't forget to check out the Eon Echo Gaming YouTube channel every Saturday and Tuesday, where Eon uploads her amazing animations of my gameplay!”

Delta paused, noticing she was speaking too quickly and more than likely beet red in the face. The viewer count ate away at her nerves. Before now, she knew many of the Twitch usernames that took part in conversations with her every week. A few times during her sessions, a new name would appear and either stick around or drop off within a couple of minutes. She was familiar with them, but seeing so many names and typing styles that were completely new to her left her feeling as if strangers had invaded her home.

“There was a question that seemed to reappear many times throughout the stream,” Delta continued. She knew better than to keep her mouth shut for too long. “No, I don't wear colored contacts. I have heterochromia, which is a gene mutation that causes one of my eyes to be green and the other to be this weird gray-ish blue color.”

Scrolling through the text log, Delta searched for any other mentioning of her eyes. 

“It isn't contagious. In my case, it was inherited. My late grandmother had the same condition.”

Fortunately, she didn't spot anymore questions. With a silent exhale of relief, she forced one final smile for the night onto her face. 

“I just want to give a quick 'thank you' to Dan and Arin from Game Grumps for their support and for just being awesome people in general. All right, everyone! See you Monday! Echo out!”

(~)

As Delta passed by Truckee's room, she listened for clapping or cheering. Silence met her. Rapping gently on the door, she pushed it open to find the redhead staring intently at her computer. In the darkness of the room, the only light came from the screen, which illuminated Truckee's deep frown.

“Give me a minute,” Truckee deadpanned without shifting her gaze.

Delta's grip on the door handle loosened. “Um, okay. I'll be in my room.”

“Okay.”

Dread filled Delta's gut as she made her way down the hallway. She'd never seen Truckee so serious after a streaming session. She knew she'd acted too nervous – stuttering, maybe breathing too heavily into her mic – but hell, as easy as Dan and Arin make it look, it definitely wasn't a walk in the park to talk to thousands of people.

Kicking her shoes off, Delta curled up onto her bed, her mind racing with every possible reason why Truckee hadn't given her usual positive feedback. Maybe people were finally sending emails – emails filled with nothing but hate? That made her feel even worse. She didn't want Truckee to have to deal with the brunt end of her mistakes.

When her phone vibrated in her pocket, Delta groaned. She'd just spent the last few hours talking to people and failing miserably at it. The last thing she wanted to do was relive that, but when “Dan Avidan” lit up her screen, her thumb immediately hit the green phone icon.

“That was your best one yet!” Dan hollered into her ear the moment she answered. “We honestly didn't think people would hit up your content so fast, but you did great!”

Delta was flustered. Why, if that session was the best one yet, did Truckee react the way she did? “Uh, what?” She didn't know what else to say.

Dan's laugh met her awkward question. “It was perfect!” he said eagerly. “The gameplay, the way you acted as if there weren't so many people watching you, that closing explanation about your eyes – it was all perfect! You are perfect, Echo.”

Unsure if she wanted to giggle or cry, Delta let out an odd squeak instead. “Dan, I...I _sucked,_ ” she confessed, pulling her blankets over her head. Chief or Cortana must've been napping in her bed recently; the fabric smelled faintly of cat. “I choked and tripped over my words. I felt so stupid.”

“No way! Are you crazy?! You tripped up like, once. Arin and I do that shit all the time! It adds to your charm!”

Charm? He thought Delta had charm? At that, she couldn't help but laugh. Much to her dismay, it only lasted two seconds. Once her door opened and the lights flicked on, her laughter died.

Delta sat up from her barrier of blankets to settle her gaze on Truckee, who stood in her doorway with a stoic expression written on her face. “What's up?” Delta asked.

“Huh?”

“Oh, sorry. Hang on, Dan.” Lowering her phone into her lap, she furrowed her brows together. Without saying a word, Truckee climbed into the bed, cuddled up against Delta, and shoved her phone into the blonde's face.

It took Delta a moment to realize just what she was looking at. Their YouTube channel looked the same as it had earlier that day, with one exception. 

“No way,” Delta whispered as she took the phone from Truckee's hand, her voice raising with every word. “No fucking way! Are you shitting me right now?!”

Shaking her head, Truckee's mouth opened in a gasping chuckle as tears leaked from her eyes. “No, Del! This is real!”

The two embraced each other in a series of high-pitched squeals and fits of uncontrollable giggles. Over it all, Delta could just barely hear Dan from her own phone, trying to figure out what was going on. She picked it up, pressed it to the side of her head, and wiped away her own tears.

“Dan! Eon Echo Gaming just hit seven thousand YouTube subscribers!”


	5. Five Hundred Miles Away

Delta's eyes trailed over the words in the email again and again and again. This was just too surreal. “This...this isn't fake, right?” she muttered, starting at the beginning of the email once more. “This isn't some crappy scam?”

Leaning back in her computer chair to give the blonde more access to the screen in front of them, Truckee laced her fingers together behind her head. “It's one hundred percent real,” she confirmed as she stifled a yawn with her fist. “I swear I'm stoked. I'm just exhausted.”

Delta pitied her friend, but yet she saw it as a huge step forward. It had been two weeks since Eon Echo Gaming exploded with popularity and every day since then, the email address that had gone untouched for years filled with animation requests. People loved what Truckee did and wanted to put her to work. As much as it overwhelmed her, she tried to reply to every single one of them in a timely manner. 

Among the requests, there had been an email that stood out in stark contrast – one from GameStop, asking if Eon Echo Gaming would be interested in partnering with Game Grumps at the meet-and-greet. “I asked Barry,” Truckee continued, “and he said it's legit. It's the same manager who first contacted them about it.”

Delta tried to shake the surprising pang of jealousy. She knew Truckee and Barry had been talking practically nonstop since she got his number from Suzy. She just wished Dan would reply to her own texts more often.

It wasn't as if he didn't like her. He'd admitted to having a shitty habit of forgetting to charge his phone and letting it die. 

Watching Truckee yawn again, Delta patted her shoulder. “You need sleep,” she decided. “Why don't we give them an answer in the morning before I go to work and then announce it on the stream?”

Truckee had no qualms about that suggestion. With a nod, she stood from the chair and promptly collapsed onto her bed. “Night, Del,” she said, her voice already dreamy. 

The moment Delta returned to her own bedroom, her phone vibrated on her desk. Her eyes flicked to the alarm clock on her bedside table. It was nearly three in the morning. Nobody ever texted her that late.

“Dan?” she mumbled to herself, shocked that he was texting her at all. It had been a week since she last heard from him. 

“ _Wanna Skype?_ ” Included in his text was his username and an apology if the sound of her phone going off woke her if she was asleep. 

Other than the shout-out video, she hadn't actually seen Dan's face since the night at Wendy's. With slightly trembling hands, Delta hurried to reply. “ _I wasn't asleep. Give me a couple minutes to turn on my laptop._ ” After reading it twice to make sure it sounded as casual as possible, she sent it. 

Then the panic set in. Realizing she hadn't showered or even _attempted_ to make herself look decent for the day, she rushed into her bathroom after turning the laptop on. She pulled her hair into a ponytail, applied what little mascara she had left, and slipped into clothes that weren't her pajamas. By the time she was finished, Delta felt more frazzled than before she started getting ready. 

She connected a video call and Dan answered on the first ring. Seeing him live again – well, not exactly live; there was always a second or two of lag – hitched a breath in her throat. Sitting in front of her from five hundred miles away, Dan's mouth pulled into a grin. “Hey,” he said with a quick wave. 

“I didn't know you wear glasses,” Delta commented, her gaze tracing the black rims around in eyes. They only added to her thought that he was too perfect to be real. She'd always had a thing for guys in glasses. 

Dan reached up to adjust them. “Well, as it just so happens to turn out, I really like seeing, so I mean...” His voice trailed off into a melodious chuckle. “I was planning on turning that into some lame joke, but it didn't work out that way.” He paused, his gaze looking past her. “Rooster Teeth fan, I take it?”

She froze for a moment. She hadn't thought of it before, but her room was nearly covered in Rooster Teeth merchandise. From the posters on her walls to the lanyards handing from her bed, it was a little more than obvious that she had a deep passion for her first experience into the world of the YouTube gaming community. “Uh, yeah,” she replied slowly. “I mean, they're sort of the reason why I got into this hobby in the first place.”

Instead of retorting with some sort of comment of betrayal, Dan nodded. “Yeah, they're great,” he agreed. “I had the chance to meet a few of them not too long ago. Really, _really_ awesome people. I still wish we could trade Ross for Gavin. Anyway, I haven't asked in a while, but how are you?”

Delta took a second to survey the room on the other side of the screen, just to be fair. It was no doubt his bedroom; a king sized bed, draped with a navy blue comforter, stood high behind him. The walls, underneath the posters of Rush and Starbomb, were a soft gray. From what little of the room she saw, she instantly pictured stormy nights that made it easy to fall asleep to. She wanted to see more of it, but the last thing she wanted to do was make it apparent. 

“I'm good,” she replied, sneaking a quick look at herself through the smaller screen in the upper left corner. “A little tired, though. Between work and doing stuff for the channel, I haven't had much time to sleep or do anything else.” 

Dan must've noticed the way she checked her appearance; his features softened and his head tilted to the side just a tad. “For being tired and just good, you look great. Where do you work?”

Once again, Delta's body came to a standstill, her mind reeling for two reasons. Dan had just complimented her. That was grounds to skip to a new topic, but he'd also asked her a question – one she didn't want to answer. Most men paused after trying to flatter her to see her response. Not Dan. No, he just put her in a terrible spot instead. 

“I, um...”

She wasn't ashamed of being a cashier. In fact, she took pride in having a job instead of letting Truckee's grandparents pay for every single bill the two had like they insisted upon. The elderly couple already paid their rent for them, so any money that Delta made usually went toward groceries (which she got discounts on) and video games. 

She just envied Dan for making money doing what he loved instead of standing behind a register all day. 

Very fortunately, before she could give any sort of answer, a knock came from Dan's side of the world. He turned his head and addressed the interrupter, “What's up?”

Delta remained quiet as Dan and whoever was at his door conversed, her leg bounding nervously underneath her desk. She hoped this would be enough of a distraction to steer him away from the topic of her job. 

“It's fucking late, dude,” the unknown male voice pointed out. “Who are you even talking to?”

Dan waved him over as he introduced Delta. “This is Echo from Eon Echo Gaming,” he said as a man with large, curious eyes and a full dark beard came into view. “This is Barry. He's like...the gremlin we keep hidden away in the back.”

Suddenly, it was as if Delta was streaming. Meeting new people forced an amiable smile onto her face and confidence into her voice. “Oh, _you're_ Barry!” she exclaimed, taking note of the rhythmic pulsing on the side of her neck. Her heart was racing. “You're the one who Eon talks about all the time.”

Barry's face lit at this. He opened his mouth in a reply, but Dan cut him off. “Yeah, this is the same guy who sucks compared to her!”

As Delta giggled at the running joke, Barry turned to glower at the slyly smirking man to his left. “Y'know, there's a reason why I put their logo over Arin's face in the video,” he threatened in a teasing tone. “Don't piss me off, boy.”

“Boy?” Dan repeated with a lighthearted chuckle. “I'm ten years older than you, dick.”

Barry seemed to ignore the comment as he turned back to Delta. “It was really awesome to finally meet you, Echo,” he said pleasantly. “Don't let this _boy_ give you too much trouble.” Before leaving completely, he gave Dan a gentle tap on the shoulder. “Seriously, get some sleep tonight, dude. We have to be up and out of here in a couple of hours.” 

Delta and Dan waited until Barry took his leave before moving. Once he was gone, Dan stood from his chair and made his way toward the door to lock it. “Hey, Dan?” Delta began, her face scarlet. “Why aren't you wearing pants?”

From somewhere in his room, he broke out into laughter. “I didn't think I'd have a reason to stand during our call,” he confessed as he slid back into his chair. Although he was probably just as embarrassed as Delta felt, his smile remained strong. “Sorry about that. Want me to put on pants or are boxers okay? Either way, I promise not to stand up again.”

“Boxers are fine.” She was actually a little disappointed that he made that promise. “You don't have to get dressed just for me.” Although he had been the reason why she'd gotten dressed. “Hey, so um, GameStop emailed us.”

This definitely grabbed Dan's attention. Propping his elbow on his desk, he cupped his cheek in his palm, his eyes glued on her. “Oh? Do tell, m'lady.”

Everything he did, it seemed, either painted Delta's cheeks shades of red or sent her stomach into excited spasms. She'd been around attractive men before and even held conversations with them without fretting over her appearance or if she was making a good impression. Dan made her more nervous than anyone ever had and she still wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad thing.

She shifted her weight, hoping to adjust herself so that her stomach would calm. “They want us to partner with you guys at the next meet-and-greet,” she told him, watching what little of herself she could see in the reflection of his glasses. 

“What'd you tell them?”

“Nothing yet. Eon and I are still a little on the fence about it.”

“Why?”

There were so many possible answers to that. Other than Truckee's exhaustion, Delta would have to take time off work. Trying to do that was like pulling teeth. Her manager gave her a hard time for just calling in sick once when she'd come down with food poisoning. 

She sighed. “I don't really know,” she partly lied. Dan's brows furrowed together, his lips pursing. “I guess we're both still in shock over this. I mean, a month ago, we were practically invisible, and now we can barely keep up with all the attention we're getting.” 

“You still feel like it's all a dream?”

Finally, it clicked inside Delta's mind. Since Eon Echo Gaming blew up in the world of social media, she'd had trouble putting all of her thoughts and feelings about it into words. Dan seemed to know better than she did in nothing but a simple sentence. “Yeah,” she breathed. “Exactly like that.”

Dan leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his beautiful mess of hair. “I get it,” he said, his voice sincere. “That initial shock of, 'holy shit, I'm doing something huge' never really goes away. Sometimes I even stop and freak out over how far I've come.” He paused to chuckle and shake his head. “Sorry, I'm starting to ramble. Long story short, I think you guys should do it.”

Delta already had an inkling that Truckee was going to be all for it once she woke up, but she decided to press him further. “You do?” she muttered, forcing back a yawn. 

“Yeah! God, you both have worked so fucking hard for this and the meet-and-greet would be a rad way to reach out to your fans. It's such an awesome experience. Besides, I'll be there and you'll get to witness everyone line up for some Danny lovin'.”

Delta laughed so hard that tears squeezed from the corners of her eyes. Remembering she'd put on mascara, she hurried to dab underneath her eyes with her shirt. Luckily, her makeup remained unharmed. “I'm pretty sure I have abs with how many times you've made me laugh,” she admitted, her gaze settling on his bed. In a flash, her laughter died. “Oh shit, Dan! Is that sunlight?!”

Dan turned in his chair before frantically peering from his phone to the time on his laptop. “Oh, fuck!” he nearly yelled. “What the fuck?!”

Even Delta panicked. Looking at her own phone, she wondered how in the hell it was already five. On cue, her alarm sounded. “ _Roses are red and violets are blue. One day we'll cruise--_ ” She rushed to silence it, hoping Dan hadn't heard. 

Groaning, he stretched his arms high over his head. “Well,” he said, blocking a yawn with his fist, “I have no clue how we talked for two hours because it felt like twenty minutes.”

Delta nodded in agreement. Maybe she'd been so fixated on him that she didn't realize that there had actually been moments of silence in which they'd just stared at each other? Or rather, she stared at him while he talked. 

“Okay,” Dan murmured, lifting his glasses from his face to rub his eyes. “I feel fine now, but later today is going to suck.” He blinked furiously before focusing on her. Without the glasses, he seemed more familiar. “All right, I just want to throw this out in the open. Even though I can hardly see you, you're still beautiful.” 

Delta's first instinct was to immediately strike up a conversation about how tired they both were going to be. However, they were pressed for time. She had work and Dan had to do, well, his usual Dan things. So, instead of running from his words, she gave a lopsided grin. 

“You really know how to make a girl's day, don't you?”

(~)

“This is pretty short notice, Delta.”

“I know and I'm so sorry, but I _really_ need these days off. I'll even work overtime the week after.”

Delta nibbled obsessively on the inside of her cheek. Standing in Jim's office, nearly to the point of selling her soul to him, she tried to stay optimistic about it. A gigantic bear of a man, her boss had a heart that matched his body. Still, he was a stickler for his employees taking time off. 

“I will never ask for anymore time off after this – even a day,” Delta pleaded. “I swear.”

Jim rested his arms on his desk, pinched the bridge of his nose, and closed his eyes. “Delta...” Her heart plummeted; she was all too familiar with that tone.

“Please, Jim, this is extremely important to me--”

He held up a palm to silence her. “One condition.”

Delta nearly slammed her hands on his desk. “Anything.”

“Give me your autograph.”

“I'm sorry?”

With a heavy and rather annoyed sigh, Jim opened his eyes and met her bewildered stare. “That gaming thing you do...My wife and son watch it every week. My son is dead set on marrying you and neither of them believe you work for me.”

She was speechless; nobody had ever asked for her autograph before, let alone recognized her from Eon Echo Gaming. “Uh, yeah, no problem. What do you want me to sign?”

In the end, Delta had broken Jim down to letting her have the weekend off for nothing more than a signature on a sticky note and a harmless picture on his cellphone to show his family. Although it didn't seem like much in the grand scheme of things, it was her first real taste of what it was like to be an Internet celebrity. 

With a huge grin etched into her face, she nearly skipped to her car after work and took a moment to enjoy the silence of the parking lot as she typed out a text to Dan.

“ _We're doing the meet-and-greet! See you in two weeks, Danny!_ ”


	6. Meet-And-Greet

A year ago, if someone were to tell Delta that she'd be up at the ass crack of dawn on her day off to pick up three members of the most famed YouTube channel at the airport, she would have scoffed and laughed in their face. And yet, here she was: anxiously waiting for the plane to land from the shelter of her car while Truckee snored in the back seat.

Just in time for another yawn, Delta's phone chirped. She pulled it from her pocket as Truckee stirred from her sleep. “ _Just landed! Hooray for having service again!_ ” She grinned at Dan's text and as she locked her phone. It felt as if her heart had skipped a beat or five.

“Hey!” Delta hissed, reaching back to shake Truckee awake. “They just landed. Let's go. Ugh, and wipe the drool off your cheek.”

Exhausted and dressed to unimpress in sweatpants and band tees, the two bolted from the car. They didn't talk, both of them in understanding that they wanted to get to the Grumps as soon as possible, so the wait felt as if it dragged on for hours instead of only fifteen minutes. 

Glancing around the crowded airport, Delta was almost surprised that nobody had approached her yet. She'd announced that she and Truckee would be at the meet-and-greet the day she'd gotten approval to take the weekend off from work. Since then, more and more people recognized her in public, often asking for a photo with her or a simple hug. In addition, the viewer and subscriber count for Eon Echo Gaming continued to rise every day – Delta had formed a habit of not paying attention to it in order to keep the nerves at bay.

It seemed that there weren't any fans wandering about the vast hallways of the airport at six in the morning, which was more than okay with her. As much as she loved meeting people, Delta wasn't quite in the mood to have pictures taken of her while she looked probably as frumpy as she felt. At least when she streamed, her hair was done and she wasn't wearing clothes that may or may not be her pajamas. 

“There they are!” Truckee exclaimed, nearly jumping off the plastic seat she'd been occupying. 

Delta's stomach lurched as she peered toward the mass of people heading their way. Over the heads, she could see Dan's hair bobbing in rhythm of his steps. Once there was a window between bodies and their eager stares met, she gasped in surprise as his pace quickened until suddenly, she was pressed against his chest in a tight embrace. 

She'd been expecting a wave, but this? Not so much.

Caught completely off guard, Delta hesitated for just a moment before wrapping her own arms around Dan, resting her palms on the backpack he sported. He placed his chin on the top of her head and let out a long exhale. “Hi,” he said, his voice sounding almost relieved. 

Delta closed her eyes, savoring his arms around her and the scent on his shirt. “Hey.” 

Not even five feet away, Arin cleared his throat loudly. Delta and Dan stepped away from each other and she grinned at his appearance. Clad in his own pair of sweatpants and a somewhat stained shirt, Arin opened his arms and raised his brows. “Um, that's cool. I don't get any love?” he questioned, feigning a hurt tone. 

“Of course you do, Arin,” Delta replied. As she gave him a hug that wasn't quite as energetic as Dan's, she didn't feel as underdressed anymore. If there was one thing she and Arin had in common, it was the fact that they both enjoyed video games in the comfort of their hobo clothes. 

In the midst of embracing the brunette, she peered over his shoulder to witness Truckee and Barry sharing a lingering closeness of their own. She decided she'd grill her about it later and stepped away, realizing that someone was missing from the reunion. 

“Where's Suzy?” 

The five began walking back toward the car with Arin and Delta in the lead, Dan in the middle, and Truckee and Barry at the rear of their cluster. “Her sister was in town,” Arin explained, muffling a yawn with his fist. “She really wanted to be here, but y'know, family and shit.” He lifted his shoulders in an indifferent shrug, but Delta noticed the way he thumbed at the wedding band on his finger. 

Aside from Truckee and Barry's nonstop chatting, they loaded their luggage into the back of Delta's car in silence. Expecting the redhead to claim her usual spot in the front seat, Delta watched in curious astonishment as Truckee started for the back end. “It's already a little cramped back here,” she uttered when she caught Delta's wondering glance. “I'm smaller than Dan, so he can sit shotgun.”

It made sense. Delta's car wasn't exactly built for five people, especially when two of them were giants like Arin and Dan. Still, she knew Truckee was up to something and she had a pretty good idea of what it could've been.

“To the car rental place, Jeeves!” Arin shouted in what sounded to be his attempt at a British accent. Delta eyed him through the mirror, narrowing her lids into a playful glare. His cheeky smirk met her. “Please and thank you?”

(~)

The drive to the car rental office consisted mostly of Dan and Arin spouting off questions about Reno and Delta trying her best to answer them. All the while, she kept catching Dan peering either at her or out her window. She was never entirely sure which it was; he averted his gaze every time she looked away from the road.

“Are there really slot machines in every gas station?” Dan muttered as they passed by another casino. “I mean, I thought the ones back at the airport were kind of weird, but _gas stations_?” 

The way he asked it, the all around disbelief in his words, pushed a smile onto Delta's face. “Yeah, at least every one I've been so,” she told. “Reno is like the gambling center of the West Coast. People take their vacations here because of it.” She couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at that thought; Reno was the last place she'd pick for a vacation. 

As she pulled into the car lot, she felt her mood immediately plummet. The meet-and-greet was only five hours away and she knew that she'd have the rest of the weekend to spend time with Dan, but after two weeks of desperately finding time to text or have Skype calls, she didn't want to split from him. While Truckee, Barry, and Arin filed out of the car, Dan stayed seated. He seemed to have the same train of thought that she did. 

“How many hours did you sleep last night, Echo?” he inquired, suddenly looking as drained as Delta felt. 

Her answer was a guilty half grin and a soft, “You first.”

“We'll answer together. One...two...three.”

“One,” they said simultaneously. 

Dan chuckled and lowered his head, giving her an all too knowing look. She had fallen asleep texting him, both of them too jittery and high strung to call it quits at a decent hour. “I see a nap in your future,” Delta predicted, daydreaming of her own bed.

“Oh, definitely. The second I get to my hotel room, I'm out. What about you?”

She pondered it for a moment. Sleep wasn't something she needed anytime before tomorrow. Growing up playing video games until the early hours of the morning and then going to school prepared her for the nocturnal life she now led. But if Dan wasn't going to be awake...

“Yeah, I'll probably try to get a few more hours in before the meet-and-greet.” 

Dan gave an understanding nod, placed his hand on the door handle, then stopped. Hardly turning his head, he peered sideways at her. “Thanks again for driving us here.” He paused, thinking his next words through. “Text me when you wake up?”

Delta pressed her hand to her leg to keep it from bouncing. “I was already planning on it.”

(~)

Sleep didn't visit Delta quite as easily as she had hoped it would. For two hours, she tossed and turned, her mind flooded with thoughts of Dan and how enticing he smelled and the fact that instead of being five hundred miles away from her, he was within walking distance. More than anything, she wanted to text him and after an hour of fighting that urge, her eyes shut and remained shut until Truckee shook her awake an hour before the meet-and-greet started.

“C'mon, beast,” Truckee whispered as Delta's eyelids fluttered open. “Time to go please people we've never met before.”

Groaning, Delta struggled to sit up. She felt worse than she did before her nap. “You've obviously been up this whole time,” she observed as she scanned Truckee's appearance. 

Although she had always been the one more interested in makeup and hair tutorials, Truckee hardly ever applied what she learned to her daily life. Standing at the foot of Delta's bed in a mint green summer dress, beautiful curls of blazing hair cascading down her back, and just enough makeup to press Delta to wonder just how long she'd spent on it to make it look so flawless, it was almost as if she were another person entirely. 

“Yeah, well, I'm always behind the scenes,” she explained meekly, running a hand down the side of her dress. “I just want to give a good impression.” 

“Fair enough. Give me half an hour and I'll be ready.”

Once Truckee left, Delta fished her phone out from the mess of blankets and stopped short when she saw that Dan had already texted her. “ _Good morning, Sleeping Beauty! Ready to rock this day with me?_ ” 

She read it three times before tearing her gaze from it. In the mirror across the room, something resembling a female hobbit stared back at her. “Truckee!” she hollered, cringing. “Will you do my hair?!”

As if she'd been waiting for that question her entire life, Truckee's head popped into view from the edge of the door frame. “I thought you'd never ask.”

Twenty minutes after the meet-and-greet officially started, the two found themselves pulling into the crowded GameStop parking lot. As Delta turned her car off, her mouth dropped at the sight of the clusters and lines of people gathered near the entrance of the store. Her nerves spiked and she checked her makeup again in the rear view mirror for the hundredth time since they left the apartment. 

“Don't be nervous,” Truckee told her, hoping she wouldn't resort to gnawing on her fingernails. “My hands work wonders, remember?”

As Truckee flexed her hands, Delta couldn't help but agree. Although not quite as drastic as Truckee's, her own hair flowed down her back in soft curls. The makeup had been a little more difficult; with two different eye colors, finding a shade of shadow that accentuated the hues proved to be a small challenge. However, Truckee was an animator and the way both of Delta's eyes sparkled left her more than impressed. 

“Yeah,” Delta breathed, turning from the mirror. “There's just so many people. Do you think I'm underdressed?”

Arching a perfect brow, Truckee sized up the blonde's jeans, black tank-top, and flip flops. “Are you kidding me? You look like Echo. Echo lives for being comfy. And you, Del, look beautiful. Plus one confidence! Let's go!” She didn't wait for a response. Too excited for her own good, she nearly kicked the car door open and bolted out.

“Plus one confidence,” Delta repeated before opening her own door.

The moment they became visible to the whole world, time seemed to slow. People turned their heads, gasping in shock because apparently, nobody thought they would show. When the surprise subsided, a mass formed around them as fans asked for autographs and handshakes. 

Truckee instinctively grabbed for Delta's hand, too scared to advance any closer to the building. It must've been somewhat of a culture change for her; unlike Delta, she didn't have the chance to ease her way into popularity. All of this – the smiling faces of adoring fans, the constant emails from other YouTube channels, the insatiable craving for her unwavering attention – was as foreign as a new alien species, one that wasn't the Covenant. 

“Hey, everyone!” Delta greeted, trying to force her voice over the melting pot of voices around them. “Thanks so much for coming out! Just let us get--”

“Echo! Echo! I'm your biggest fan! I _love_ you!”

“Could you sign my shirt?!”

“Do you need a co-streamer?! Because I'm your guy!”

Slowly, Delta felt Truckee's fingers tightening harder and harder around her hand. So much for plus one confidence, she thought as unease and a bit of nausea settled in her gut. She had mentally prepared herself for this – or so she figured – so when she began to panic as well, she couldn't help but giggle at the hypocrisy of it. Or, maybe it was from the hysteria rising? 

Finally, a voice boomed over all the others and relief flooded over Delta. “You'd think we'd get lost before you would!” Dan teased, making his way through the crowd that separated the three of them. As if he held some sort of power, fans moved from his path without hesitation. 

Delta had never been so happy to see him. “Well, Reno is a big city,” she replied, her intense stare pleading for his help, “and I obviously don't get out enough.” 

Dan jutted his chin toward the glass door. He must've picked up on her silent request because he lifted his brows and held out a hand toward her. “C'mon, they set up a table just for you guys.”

She allowed his hand to engulf hers as he led the two toward the inside of the building. Since she first met Dan, she often wondered what it would be like to press her palm against his. Unfortunately, with the chaos all around them, it didn't last long enough for her to get a good feel of it; his long fingers uncurled once they passed through the doors.

Although most of the fans waited outside, quite a few lingered near the shelves of games and merchandise. Two tables sat across the room from each other; one near the cash register, decorated with the Eon Echo Gaming logo, and one closer toward the door with two large G's hanging from the edges.

Upon seeing the former, Truckee let out a gentle gasp and made her way toward it, running her fingertips on the lamination material once she was close enough. From the Game Grumps table, Delta caught Barry observing the redhead curiously. She waited for Dan to disappear into the back of the store before approaching her friend. 

“You okay?” she asked softly, placing her hand between Truckee's shoulder blades. 

Truckee nodded, engrossed in the logo. “Yeah. Just...I think it's finally hitting me how real all this is.”

Motioning to one of the folding chairs behind their table, Delta gave Truckee a tender nudge. “This is as real as it's going to get,” she advised. “Take your throne, princess.”

Just as Delta was about to take her own seat, the door leading to the back room of the store opened. Dan and a much shorter man with a burly mustache and a vibrant lanyard around his neck walked through, their eyes locked on her. Truckee stood quickly as the man skittered toward the two. 

“Ah, Echo! I'd recognize those eyes anywhere!” he greeted as he took Delta's hand in his. “What a pleasure it is to meet you!” He brought the back of her hand to his mouth and pressed his lips against her skin before turning to Truckee, who clasped her own hands together behind her back. “And this must be the extremely talented and prompt Eon! I must say, your parents knew you two were destined for great things when they have you such unique names!”

Delta and Truckee shared a fleeting glance. Whoever this guy was didn't know the half of it. 

Witnessing the aghast expressions written clearly on the girls' faces, he took a step back, nearly knocking himself into Dan, and offered an apologetic grin. “Please forgive me,” he said, his tone much calmer and quieter. “My name is Adrian. I'm the manager of this branch.”

“Oh, then you're the one who sent us the email for this,” Delta assumed. The tension that had sprung up inside her at Adrian's exhilaration was beginning to simmer. “Thank you so much for this opportunity.” Beside him, she couldn't help but notice Dan's beaming face. Experiencing Adrian's personality before she did, he must've known something like this was going to happen and he found nothing but pure enjoyment from watching it. 

“But of course, my dear!” Adrian exclaimed, taking both of Delta's hands in his this time. “When Arin contacted me about possibly doing another meet-and-greet, he mentioned the two of you and I nearly wept with joy at the thought of having both the Game Grumps and Eon Echo Gaming together in my store! I've been a fan of both groups for years!”

Arin? Somehow, as Delta turned her head to watch him sign a CD, that didn't surprise her. He was the backbone of Game Grumps, after all. There were plenty of things he could coax people into, especially an avid fan.

Adrian gave both Delta and Truckee pats on the shoulder. “I'll let you get settled in. Feel free to use the back room as needed! There's plenty of water and Monsters in the fridge!” With an excited giggle, he shoved his way into the crowds, passionately asking everyone he bumped into if they were having a good time.

“There's also a case of Dr. Pepper,” Dan added proudly. 

As if the way couldn't get any better, Delta tilted her head, giving him a perplexed stare. “How--”

“How did I know you love Dr. Pepper almost more than your cats?” he finished for her. The corners of his mouth twitching upward, he began to make his way toward Arin, who suddenly found himself swamped with fans. “You mentioned it during a streaming session about a year ago.”

Once Dan was out of earshot, Truckee turned to Delta. “A man who listens, Del,” she hissed vehemently. “Where else in the world are you going to find one of those?”

As the two sat behind the table decorated with their logo, bodies gathered around them. With every introduction and autograph request, Delta's heart swelled. In one of her favorite stores, surrounded by adoring fans and a devilishly handsome man stealing glances at her every so often from across the room, she decided that there was absolutely nothing that could ruin this day.

(~)

“Thank you so much for the picture, Echo!” the thirteen-year-old girl in front of Delta raved, clutching her phone as if it were her lifeline. Tears brimmed her eyes as her gigantic smile widened even further. “You're my hero! Really, you are! I want to--”

“Fuck!” Truckee yanked Delta by the arm, tearing her from the one person who Delta actually wanted to talk to. 

Flashing the young girl a rueful grin, Delta turned her head to glare fiercely at Truckee, whose face was nearly as red as her hair. “Watch your mouth around kids,” she snapped. “What's your issue?!” 

With one hand clenching Delta's forearm and the other lifting toward a couple entering through the doors, Truckee stiffened. “That's my issue.”

Suddenly, Delta understood. Somewhat. Hand-in-hand with a girl neither of them had seen before, Travis walked in, his eyes eagerly darting around the room. He caught Delta's peer for a split second before he focused on something else. “So what?” she murmured, pulling Truckee back into her seat. “You guys broke up forever ago. I thought you were over him.”

“I am!” Truckee shot back bitterly. “I just...didn't want him to find someone else before I did.”

Resisting the urge to bury her face in her hands, Delta sighed heavily. “I don't think I should have to get onto your ass about how selfish that is.” From her peripheral, she watched the two figures slowly make their way toward the Eon Echo Gaming table. “Oh, crap. Okay, don't flip out, yeah?”

Whoever the new girl on Travis' arm was, she was gorgeous, but she paled in comparison to Truckee. Then again, everyone paled in comparison to Truckee in Delta's eyes. Slightly taller than the two of them and dressed as if she'd just come from a trip to the lake, the girl stared at them as if she was witnessing someone come back from the dead. 

“Hey, Travis,” Delta greeted, tearing her eyes away from the trembling girl. “Who's your friend?”

Travis' eyes met Truckee's for a moment before returning to Delta. “This is my _girlfriend_ , Lexi,” he introduced petulantly. “She didn't believe me when I said I was friends with you.” It was almost as if he refused to acknowledge Truckee existed as he spoke. “She's a huge fan of yours, Echo.”

“A-And I really love your animations, Eon,” Lexi stammered, her brown eyes locking on Truckee's ghost white face. “My phone notifies me whenever you upload a video and I just drop whatever I'm doing to watch it!” 

Delta's teeth latched onto the fleshy interior of her mouth as she glowered at Travis. She knew what he was doing. Still resentful toward Truckee for their breakup, he found the meet-and-greet to be the best form of payback. Even though he was more interested in Game Grumps than their channel, he knew Lexi would be dying to meet them – Truckee, specifically. What better a way to get revenge than to introduce your new girlfriend to your old, still suffering from feelings girlfriend? 

“Dick move,” Delta mouthed to Travis once Lexi's attention was fully on Truckee. 

“Can I just – I mean, if you're not busy, can I have your autograph?” Lexi asked, fishing in her purse for a small notebook. Once she found it, she held it toward Truckee. “I print out some of the characters you drew and put them in here. I really, really admire what you do.”

Truckee's eyes fell onto the notebook and after what felt like minutes of silence, she stood from her chair. “I have to go,” she deadpanned, holding her hand out toward Delta. “I need the keys to the car.” 

“But don't you want to--”

“Now, Echo,” she growled, her lips barely moving. “Give me the fucking keys. I'll pick you up later.”

Delta hurried to drop the keys into Truckee's hand. Without making eye contact with any fans or Barry, who looked more concerned than anything, she pushed her way through the door and slumped into the car, slamming the door after she started the engine. Delta watched her peel out of the parking lot, praying she wouldn't let her emotions overcome her driving abilities. 

“Was it something I did?” Lexi questioned worriedly. 

Delta felt horrible for the girl. She probably had no idea the history between Travis and Truckee. She was just another fan meeting someone she looked up to. Shaking her head, Delta stood from her chair and brought her into a tight embrace. “No, you didn't do anything wrong,” she assured her before pulling away. Just before she headed toward the Game Grumps table, she shoved Travis lightly. “You're a fucking dick, you know that?”

(~)

Crammed into the rental car with the Grumps, Delta remained silent as she stared out the window. The sun was beginning to settle over the mountains, casting a purple glow across the sky. As beautiful as it was, it didn't help the anger swirling inside her.

“You've never been to Tahoe, dude?” Arin asked in disbelief. This pulled Delta from her thoughts of how she should've pushed Travis a lot harder than she had. She loved Tahoe and although it was just a thirty minute drive from her home, she wished she could make the trip a lot more often than she did.

“No, never,” Dan replied from the passenger seat of the car. 

Without thinking, Delta opened her mouth. “I'll take you,” she offered. “We can go tonight, if you're not busy.” It would be good for her, she decided. She knew Truckee would want to be left alone. Besides, showing one of her favorite places to one of her favorite people seemed like a good way to turn the ending of the day around. 

She was sure Arin meant it to be as inconspicuous as possible, but she saw when he nudged Dan's arm with his elbow. “Uh, yeah,” Dan answered sharply. “I'm down.”


	7. Kissing Waves

“Uh, just...wait here for a second.”

“Sure, no problem.”

It was so strange for Delta to bring Dan into the apartment. Travis was the last guy to set foot onto the stained, beige carpet, and before him was a series of nameless men. They weren't nameless because they refused to tell Delta their names. It was just the simple fact that she didn't care enough to learn before jumping into bed with them. They had been a phase for her, a rebellious act of sorts.

While Dan waited idly by the door, Delta grabbed for the car keys on the kitchen table and rapped her knuckles on Truckee's door before cracking it open. “You okay?” she asked, squinting into the darkness of the room. 

“Yeah, I'm good.” Sitting cross-legged on her bed, Truckee had covered most of her body with blankets. On either side of her, Chief and Cortana lounged about. “Going somewhere?”

Delta was genuinely surprised that Truckee was able to see the keys in her hand. “I'm going to show Dan around Tahoe. Want to come?”

Truckee shook her head and grabbed for her phone. “No, thanks. I think I'm just going to drown my pathetic sorrows in a Game Grumps marathon. Enjoy your date.”

“How very poetic of you.” It took Delta a moment to realize everything Truckee had said and when she did, her face turned crimson. “It's not a date!”

“Uh-huh. Whatever you say.”

Fighting the grin creeping onto her face, Delta returned to Dan, twirling the keys around her pointer finger. At first, he paid no attention to her. Only when she cleared her throat did he tear his gaze from a framed picture hanging on the wall, his brows lifted in disbelief. 

“You have a framed picture of your cats?” he questioned. His lips twitched slightly, giving away that he was trying his damnedest to not laugh at her. “Your cats in Santa hats?”

Delta wanted him to laugh. Truckee's crappy mood had somewhat rubbed off on her and she knew the sound of Dan's chuckles would remedy that in an instant. It usually did. “It was the first Christmas we had them and it was a very special time for us all,” she defended, her smile finally breaking through. 

“That's adorable.” There wasn't a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

(~)

Leaving the bright and colorful lights of Reno behind them, Delta and Dan sped down the nearly empty freeway in her beat-up car. While she kept her eyes glued to the road, Dan spent a good fifteen minutes exploring the interior of the vehicle, not a single word leaving his lips.

The initial shock and anxiety Delta had first felt around the man had begun to wear off. At first, she felt as if she couldn't breathe when she was with him. The night at Wendy's had been a prime example of that; her stomach had been doing flips the entire time. Weeks of texting, Skype calls, and binge watching Game Grumps episodes eased her stress. Behind the Internet popularity, he was just a normal man with an abnormal life. 

Then again, was her life normal these days?

“You know you're supposed to pay these, right? Not keep a collection between your seats.” Dan straightened himself in his seat, riffling through four speeding tickets that he had found. Delta's first reaction was to snatch them from his grasp. They showed her true, full name after all. Fortunately, he barely inspected them. Gathering them all together, he opened her glove box and stuffed them inside. “So, tell me about yourself. I want to know every single detail.”

Delta couldn't help but break out into a short fit of giggles. “That's a bold request there, sir.” Her palms began to sweat at the mere thought of revealing anything about herself. “How about this: I'll tell you something about me, then you tell me something about you. We'll keep switching.”

Dan seemed sincerely confused by her suggestion. “You mean you haven't read my Wiki page yet?”

She had started to once. It had been a particularly shitty day at work and the thought of reading through information put together by fans was the only thing that jumbled around in her mind as she stood behind that germ-riddled register. Just as she had opened her phone's browser when she'd gotten home, Dan had called and asked how her day was. Needless to say, she'd lied about the entire eight hours and the Wiki search fell forgotten. 

“You'd rather have me get to know you through a screen than face-to-face?” The worlds slipped out before she could properly think them through.

If she had offended him, he didn't show it. From the corner of her eye, Delta noticed him grin in her direction. “I'm just happy that you want to get to know me at all,” he admitted. “Okay, ladies first.”

It took her a few moments to think of anything worth telling. Her name had always been a conversation starter, though those conversations had always been people poking fun at her for it. So, she settled for something simpler. “I'm the youngest of five.”

“Brothers or sisters or both?”

“All brothers.”

“Oh, God. I'm so sorry. I have a younger sister.”

“I feel for her.”

“As you should.”

The sound of their laughter harmonizing caught them off-guard. Both of them fell silent much too soon than the other would have liked. Delta chewed on the inside of her cheek, desperately trying to think of more things to tell Dan without giving away anything that could be used against her in the long run. 

Dan shifted his weight before bringing a fist to his mouth to stifle a cough. “Can't think of anything? We can skip your turn this time.”

“Sorry, my brain is a little fried, I guess.” Or maybe there wasn't as much to her as she thought there was?

“No worries. It happens to the best of us. I'm really into music. I'm actually in two bands at the moment.”

Delta's head whipped to the side. Two bands? As surprised as she was, it made sense. She knew that being part of the Game Grumps crew made Dan a busy person, but there had been more than just one occasion where it was impossible for him to text her back or return her calls. What left her even more taken back – and extremely flattered – was that he still managed to make time for her often enough that she didn't feel as if he'd dropped her. 

“And why aren't we listening to them?” she urged, searching the darkness of the car for her worn and abused aux cord while trying to keep her eyes on the road. 

Dan's fingers wrapped around the cord, his skin brushing lightly against hers as he took it from her grasp. In his other hand, his phone lit up with life. “Okay, do you want sick ass video game beats or some raunchy, wet-your-panties songs about the art of coitus?” 

Luckily, the absence of light hid the fact that Delta's jaw had dropped. Unluckily, Dan's phone provided just enough light that he saw her expression and hurried to open the YouTube app. 

“I have some more serious stuff, aside from the cover projects,” he rushed to say, typing away in the search bar. “I used to be in a band called Skyhill. I, um, wrote the songs, so just know that I was going through a weird time in my life.” The way his tone dropped from excited and eager to something more dismal made Delta wish her poker face was more polished. A song started before she could talk him out of it. 

“ _Of all the things you might still want to satellite. You took the star that you know won't shine as bright. We're falling from the sky and the look in your eye is telling me that you won't be home tonight. No, you won't be home tonight._ ”

Goosebumps lifted on Delta's arms. Dan's voice, the sheer beauty of its entirety, was something she would have never expected from him. Sure, his speaking voice was calming enough as it was, but when he sang, it was something so different and almost otherworldly. 

She glanced sideways at him, only catching glimpses of his mouth miming the lyrics when they passed underneath streetlights. He stared out the window, a downcast look projecting out into the passing world around them. 

A sense of stupidity settled over Delta as the song continued to haunt her. She'd only ever seen the man to her right with nothing but smiles on his face and an almost childlike demeanor about him. It never crossed her mind that terrible, unthinkable, heartbreaking things had happened and that maybe, those things were still eating away at him.

(~)

“Oh, fuck. That's a lot of water.” Dan's eyes locked on the mass of water before them as he closed the door to the car.

Making her way toward the front of the vehicle, Delta pursed her lips and nodded. “That's a lake for you,” she pointed out, gazing toward the sandy beach. “You okay?”

At first, Dan hadn't even realized she was talking to him. He simply stared at the lake, his body rigid, until the scuffling of Delta's shoes on the pavement tore his attention away. “Oh, um, yeah. I'm good,” he replied without any confidence. 

Delta had seen that same look on Truckee's face when she found the occasional spider lurking about the apartment. Fingers twitching at her sides, she debated her next move. “We can go somewhere else if you want,” she offered. “It's past midnight, but I'm sure there's a bar or something open somewhere in town.”

Dan shook his head, exhaling with a heavy breath. “No, it's okay. It's just that lakes and oceans kind of freak me out. Sharks can be real dicks.”

Delta couldn't tell if he was joking or not. She wanted to crack a smile if he was, but the way his own mouth continued to form a hard line told her otherwise. “I highly doubt there are sharks in Lake Tahoe,” she mused. Slowly – and of course, shakily – she extended a hand toward him. It wouldn't mean anything; they were nothing more than friends. But since Dan had grabbed onto her hand earlier that day, she craved his touch. Besides, what if it helped his nerves?

It was if Dan didn't even think twice about it. As soon as his dark eyes settled on her hand, he copied her movements, his fingers falling between her spaces. The warmth of his skin battled the gentle crisp breeze that passed by every so often. And although Delta was suffering from her usual stressed, sweaty palms, Dan seemed to look past it. He gave a soft squeeze and turned his head toward the lake. 

“All right, if you say so,” he muttered. “But on the off chance that you're wrong, you have to be the one to fist-fight the sharks.”

Clammy palm to dry palm, the two ventured the beach, teasing to throw each other into the cold water from time to time. When a rare moment of silence fell between them, a thought struck Delta: just how long was the beach open to the public? Most closed at nine, and the time was beginning to creep closer to one in the morning. No matter, she figured. It would just be another ticket to add to the collection – one that was well worth it.

“I have a sort of personal question,” Dan said, breaking the dreaded silence. In all honesty, Delta didn't mind it too much; between having her hand in Dan's and the sound of the water kissing the beach in her ears, she was pretty content. “You don't have to answer if you don't want to.”

“Sure, go for it.”

“Is Echo your real name?”

Delta's heart flipped. Why did that have to be the question? Should she lie like she had been since the beginning of Eon Echo Gaming? Even if she did, would he believe her? He obviously was doubting it if he confronted her. Her mouth ran dry as she perilously tried to choose one way or the other. 

“No.” She kicked a pebble. “It's Delta.”

A war struck out inside her. For five years, she'd kept her name hidden, at least when it came to her involvement with the Internet. Sure, there had been the few curious fans who spoke out. Delta had found it so easy to lie in situations like that, but Dan was different. Whether it was the fact that she was so comfortable with her hand in his, or that she actually cared about what he thought of her, she just couldn't wear her usual mask. 

They came to a stop just where the sand began to dry. His eyes not wavering from her face for even a second, Dan gingerly pulled her downward. “You don't have to explain if you don't want to,” he told in a voice that made her want to reveal everything about herself to him. “I'm sure you have your reasons.” 

Delta closed her eyes as the two sat cross-legged next to each other, savoring the sounds of the lake and the soothing feeling of the tiny circles Dan drew against her skin with his thumb. Damn him for being so understanding. “My dad,” she started, her heart hammering away in her chest, “is a die-hard military man who only wanted sons. He got lucky the first four times. All my brothers have the same ambitions and dreams as him. Then I came along and I think he knew I was going to be the black sheep of the family.”

Even in the darkness, Delta could feel Dan's gaze piercing her. She had his attention entirely, so she mustered the courage to keep talking. 

“My brothers all have normal, common names – both first and middle. With me...Well, my dad figured that with the last name of Foxtrot, which I absolutely hate, he'd make my name a final salute to both his military life and his favorite band.”

It took Dan a second to push all the information through his mind before admitting, “I don't get it.”

“My full name is Delta Echo Foxtrot, Danny.” It struck her that she'd never used a nickname with him before. “The first letters spell certain things when used in the military. At least, that's what Dad says.”

Dan glanced away, looking toward the water. Delta could practically see the cranks turning in his mind. “D-E-F,” he mouthed. “Def. Like Def Leppard?” 

Biting down on her lower lip, Delta gave a nod. “Exactly like Def Leppard.”

When Dan's head turned back toward her, she wasn't exactly sure what emotion he wore on his face. In the low light, she couldn't make out all of his features, but she could see the way his mouth dropped and his brows raised clear as day. Then, he laughed. He laughed like her shitty classmates did when they found out and like her relatives did when her father proudly broke the news to them at a funeral for her great aunt. 

Without hesitation, Delta yanked her hand from his and narrowed her eyes. Dan's laugh stopped short as he looked from his empty palm to her face. “Oh, shit, I'm so sorry,” he said. “I promise I'm not laughing at your name. It's just that we're more alike than I thought.”

The anger and embarrassment that had flooded over Delta simmered a bit. “How?” she demanded to know. 

“Dan isn't my name,” he explained, his eyes darting back down to her hand. Cautiously, he placed his into it and beamed when she curled her fingers around his. “I go by my middle name, too. It's Daniel.” 

“So what's your first name?”

He hesitated, which only spiked Delta's curiosity. “It's, uh...Well, I mean, it's not the worst name in the world. It's...um...It's Leigh.”

Compared to what she just told him, this was nothing. Leigh wasn't a terrible name like hers. In fact, she loved it and wondered why he chose to go by Dan instead. She didn't question him about it. Like herself, he had his reasons. 

“I like your name,” Delta confessed, thanking whatever god was out there that it was dark and there was no way he could see the way her face flushed. “But I won't call you Leigh if you don't want me to.”

“I like yours, too. And I'll do the same. I'll pretend that I don't know Delta is your real name.”

Delta had thought of kissing Dan before. Hell, she'd even dreamed about it twice since meeting him. But hearing him say her name – her real, parent-given name – lit a fire inside her, a craving for his lips against hers as he whispered it over and over again. 

“You can call me Delta.” She gave a squeeze to his hand. “But only you, okay? I mean, I don't really plan on telling all the other Grumps my name for awhile.” There was just something about him that made it seem perfectly okay in that moment. 

Dan had offered to drive back, giving the reasons what he felt bad for making her drive there and the fact that he actually missed driving. He explained that after a few days of not handling a steering wheel, he began to yearn for it. So, Delta ultimately handed over the keys after he promised not to destroy what was left of her car. 

“Does that mean that Eon isn't her real name either?” Dan suspected as he glanced both ways before pulling onto the street. He was a much better driver than Delta; he didn't take the turns as if they were an opportunity to flip the car. “You don't have to tell me, but I'm just assuming here...”

“Her real name is Truckee,” Delta explained with a yawn. Usually she wouldn't be so tired this early. It was only two, but the day had been full of excitement and different emotions flashing about. It exhausted her. “Truckee Eon Johnson. Her parents loved Truckee, California so much that they named their only kid after it. Our weird names are the reason why we became friends back in high school.”

Dan didn't say anything after that, but the constant half smile on his face was apparent. Leaning her head back against the headrest, Delta's eyes settled on her own hand wrapped in his. The only time they had released each other after she'd thrown up her defenses for a moment was when they got into the car. After that, it didn't occur to either of them to let go.

Even as her eyes began to close, the soft melody of a Skyhill song every so often invaded by the voice of the GPS dancing around her ears, she refused to uncurl her fingers.


	8. Support

_“Roses are red and violets are blue.”_

Delta groaned, peeking through the crack between her blanket and sheets. Her phone vibrated against her bedside table with a call from Jim. The sun was just barely rising into her bedroom, casting shadows against her dresser and the framed picture of her and Truckee at a Christmas party two years back. Both insanely drunk off champagne, they held each other with smiles plastered on their makeup-smeared faces. 

_“One day we'll cruise down Blood Gulch Aven--”_

“Hello?” she moaned, bringing the phone to her face. 

“Delta? Oh, thank God you answered! Look, I know I gave you this weekend off, but I need you to come in today, just for a few hours.” Jim sounded desperate; something must've happened that he didn't expect. More than most things, that man hated not having everything planned out. 

Part of her told her to just hang up the phone and go back to bed. It wasn't her problem anyway. It wasn't as if she was a manager or anyone important. But the other more responsible and sympathetic part of her told her otherwise. She could use the money, after all. 

“All right,” Delta mumbled with a sigh, forcing herself to sit up before she had the chance fall back to sleep. “Give me an hour and I'll be there.”

Once she hung up, she took a moment to see what time it actually was. Seconds were creeping toward five in the morning, making the entire situation even worse. She'd barely gotten three hours of sleep. Counting down, Delta pushed herself from her bed and groggily made her way toward her bathroom. 

As she brushed her teeth and ran her brush through her hair, she could've sworn she heard Truckee's voice. It wasn't a surprise; Truckee required even less sleep to function than Delta did. What did force Delta to rethink what she just heard were the words coming from her friend's mouth. Her tone was flirty – enticing, even. 

“Yeah, I mean, I'd _love_ for you to come over and show me.” A short pause. “Of course the guys can come. She'd love that.” Another pause. “Well, it's in my bedroom--”

Mouth half full off frothy toothpaste, Delta nearly kicked the bathroom door open. Clad in her pajamas, Truckee lounged on the couch, one foot dangling over the back and the other lazily dropped onto the floor. Hair a complete mess, she hardly looked like someone who should be talking in that tone. 

“Who're you talkin' to?” Delta muttered. 

Truckee glanced up at her, told the person on the other end of the line to hold on, and arched a brow. “Why are you up so early and half dressed?”

After taking a moment to rush back to the bathroom to spit into the sink, Delta wiped her mouth on a towel and returned to the living room. By then, Truckee had hung up the phone. “I got called into work,” she explained, her eyes locked on the phone. “Who was that?”

“It was Barry,” Truckee replied as she crawled into an actual sitting position on the couch. “He's coming over today to show me a couple tricks for the channel. And what do you mean you got called into work?! I thought you got the whole weekend off!”

The reminder of that fact didn't do anything to help Delta's declining mood. “Yeah, I know,” she spat bitterly. “Jim sounded like the world was ending, so it must be pretty serious. I shouldn't be gone long, though.”

Truckee almost looked as disappointed as Delta felt. “That really sucks, you know? Arin and Danny are coming, too.”

With a loud groan of frustration, Delta stomped back to her room. Sometimes, she wished she could just stay home all day like Truckee did and do anything except be an actual adult. As she pulled on her pants and socks, Delta knew that reality was unlikely. At least for the time being.

(~)

“I owe you.”

“I know you do.”

Delta meant it partially as a joke, but her boss seemed set in his ways. As she took her place behind the register after learning that four of her coworkers had called in with some sort of virus, Jim stared down at her with an apologetic look in his eyes. For someone who was always so sure in his ways, seeing him like this was odd to Delta and she wasn't entirely sure if she liked this side of him.

“Seriously, anything you want,” he assured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. 

“Just get me out of here by noon.”

The day flew on, taking an unforeseen turn two hours into it. People were recognizing her, and not just by asking the usual, “Oh, I think I know you from somewhere. Did you go to Reno High?” No, this was something more meaningful than just being a somewhat familiar face. It first came in the form of a family of three. 

When the ten-year-old blonde settled his eyes on Delta, a spark of recognition lit inside them. “Hey, you're Echo,” he whispered, scanning her clothes for her name tag. Luckily, in the rush of the morning, Delta had forgotten to bring it from her car. “Y-You do Eon Echo Gaming, huh?!”

Delta flushed, her hands gripping their carton of milk tightly. Although his parents seemed absolutely bewildered that their son was so excited to see her, the boy looked fit to crawl over the register to get to her. “Um, yeah,” she muttered, forcing her standard grin onto her face. “You must be a fan.”

“Of course I am!” he shouted. Turning to his mother, he gripped her arm gently. “Ma, could you take a picture of us? Please, please, please?!”

“Only if it's okay with her.”

There was no way Delta could turn him down, not with the way he gazed at her with so much admiration. She nodded and hurried to take off her Walmart vest. “I don't mind,” she said, scurrying around the plastic bag holder. The boy instantly wrapped an arm around her waist, consciously avoiding even grazing her butt with his arm. In return, she snaked her arm around his shoulders, genuinely surprised that he was almost as tall as she was. 

From that point on, it seemed that more and more people picked up on who Delta was. Everyone either wanted a picture with her, or requested that she sign their receipts. After the eighth picture – a group of high school girls who had nearly fainted at the sight of her – Delta glanced at the clock. If Jim was true to his word, she only had another hour before she could rush home to Truckee and the Grumps. 

Just as her mind began to drift to Dan and the warmth she felt with her hand in his the night before, a voice caught her attention. “Busy day, huh?” It was a husky voice, reminding her of the way men sometimes sounded when they first woke up.

“A little,” Delta replied, looking up from the frozen pizza she'd just rung up. Her breath hitched in her throat.

On the other side of the register, a tall, muscular man stood, his hazel eyes piercing hers. With midnight black hair cut just at his shoulders and tanned skin, she could've only guessed him to be some sort of exotic ethnicity. She considered Pacific Islander and ultimately settled on that. 

Offering a striking smile, the man gave a nod. “I was, uh, over on the other register at first until I saw why people wanted to take pictures with you. I didn't realize who you were until I got closer. I hope that doesn't sound weird or anything.” 

Delta let out a breathy chuckle and grabbed for his bag of apples. “Not really,” she confessed. “Actually having a conversation that's lasted more than five seconds has been the most not-weird part of my day, to be honest.”

She stole a moment to size him up. Whoever this man was, he was definitely attractive, though not as much as Dan. Then again, she thought Dan was the most attractive man alive, so it wasn't really fair to compare the two. He hadn't asked for a picture or autograph yet, but then again, they were only half way through the transaction. 

“I'm Lucas,” he said, reaching over to initiate a handshake. 

In her entire Walmart cashier career, Delta had never had anyone willing to shake her head. Slightly taken aback, she placed the six-pack of Dr. Pepper into a bag and gingerly dropped her hand in his. Much like Dan's, his long fingers curled around her skin, heat radiating from his touch. 

“I-I'm, uh, Echo,” she responded, “but I think you already know that.”

Again, Lucas nodded, releasing her hand to grab for his full bags. “I watch your channel every week, or at least, I try to.” He hesitated for a second before opening his mouth again. “I hope I'm not stepping over any boundaries or anything, but would you like to get coffee sometime? Wait, before you decide, don't.”

Delta couldn't help but crack a tiny smile as she handed him a receipt. He seemed flustered, which she didn't expect from someone of his appearance. “What do you mean?”

Ripping off a part of the receipt, Lucas grabbed for one of the pens for sale hanging behind him. In a swift motion, he scribbled his name and number onto it and held it toward her. “Text me if you ever want to get coffee. We can do it on your own time.”

As Lucas said his goodbye and flashed her one more smile, Delta stood there at her register, dumbfounded. If suddenly being recognized by swarms of fans at such a common place wasn't odd enough, being asked – sort of – on a date by complete stranger was definitely the cherry on top of her weird day. 

Or, so she thought.

“Delta, before you go, can I talk to you?” Jim had caught her just as the clock hit noon as she began to gather her water bottle and phone from behind the register. He had a grave look about him – a look that told Delta her day was about to get much more weirder. 

She found herself in his office a few minutes later, watching him in silence as he clicked away on his computer. Then, without saying a word to her, he turned the monitor to display the security footage of her register. Nothing but recordings of her taking pictures with people and giving autographs. 

“We can't have this again, Delta,” Jim scolded, his mouth pressed into a thin line. “You're here to work, not flaunt your popularity.”

Being accused of such a thing felt like a knife to Delta's gut. That wasn't her intention at all. Hell, she hadn't even seen it that way. “I didn't mean to,” she said. “Well, I mean, it wasn't my fault. They're the ones who wanted to--”

“Is the word 'no' not in your vocabulary?” he snapped. Delta flinched slightly at his words. He'd never come across to her like that before. “You could have turned them down.”

He didn't understand. Turning down fans for simple things like that was one of the worst things someone could do. These were people who supported Delta, who gave her the opportunities she had. Without them, she was just another nobody struggling to make it big on the Internet. 

Then, it hit her: she didn't need Jim or this job that she hated going to. Eon Echo Gaming was taking off with the help of her fans and Game Grumps. With any luck, she'd be doing it full-time. And if it fell through and didn't work out in her favor, she'd just get another job somewhere else. 

So, instead of apologizing for her actions, Delta took off her vest for the last time and placed it on Jim's desk. “The word 'no' _is_ in my vocabulary,” she hissed, narrowing her eyes into a glare. “I should've said it when you asked me to work today. I quit.”

(~)

Delta pulled up to the apartment building, eyeing the unfamiliar car parked in her usual spot. With a heavy sigh, she swung around to the other side of the street, turned off the car, and made her way toward the doors. Dan met her before she had the chance to enter the building, a Styrofoam cup in his hand.

“I brought it for you this morning,” he told, his face beaming, “but Eon said you had to go to work before got here. I hope you don't mind microwaved coffee.”

The entire drive home, Delta had been so angry and bitter. She had even blasted her favorite “pissed off” band, Asking Alexandria, the whole way. Jim hadn't even tried to ask her to rethink quitting – after everything she'd done for him, he just let her walk away. But seeing Dan greet her, especially with coffee, lifted her spirits immensely.

At first, Delta ignored the beverage and went straight for his body. She wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, inhaling his scent. Dan chuckled and curled his free arm around her, bringing her in closer. “Rough day?” he questioned, his lips pressed against her hair. 

She wanted to tell him everything – from being the center of attention all day, to Lucas, to quitting her job – but she was just so exhausted, both physically and mentally. So, she settled on a soft sigh and a feeble smirk. “Yeah, pretty rough.” 

Side-by-side, they walked into the building. Delta sipped graciously on her coffee, feeling its magic work almost instantly, and considered reaching for Dan's hand again. She decided against it – maybe Tahoe had been just the right place and last night the right time for something like that? From the way the day had gone, she didn't want to do anything that would make it any more off the wall.

“So, Arin's going to ask you about doing a quick streaming session with us,” Dan explained as they entered the elevator. “He knows it isn't Friday or Monday, but he thinks it'll really help with getting your name out there some more.” 

Mouth full of coffee, Delta gave a thumbs-up. “Sounds good,” she said after swallowing. “Actually, it sounds fantastic. When do we start?”

Dan glanced at his phone. “In about five minutes.”


	9. Deep Desires

Squished between Arin and Dan on the couch that they'd wrestled into the office, Delta's stomach fluttered eagerly as she watched her streaming account come to life before her. At first, nobody was watching. Then, one viewer turned into enough to actually communicate. With a controller clutched in her hands, Delta grinned and glanced at herself in the camera. She usually tried to avoid doing that, but she had to this time – just to remind herself that this was all still real. 

“Hey everyone!” she greeted, setting the controller in her lap to lift both her hands in a wave. Both men copied her movements, their faces beaming. “I know it isn't Friday or Monday, but we wanted to do something a little special for you all!”

“Because we love you all so much,” Dan added, “we wanted to put this together before Arin, Barry, and I leave Reno tomorrow morning.”

Taking a moment to turn her head to glance at him, Delta nodded in agreement, her heart sinking. Still, she had to keep up her act. “That's right! So, welcome to the first episode of Grump Echo Gaming!”

This sparked a fit of laughter from Arin. “Did you make that up just now?” he asked, sounding genuinely surprised. 

Delta was proud of herself. Even more so when the viewer count grew, bringing in comments of approval. “I totally did,” she gloated, dramatically flipping her hair behind her shoulder. She could feel her cheeks warm and hoped her face wasn't turning too red. That always looked bad through the camera. “Instead of playing Halo today, we're going to be taking turns playing Grand Theft Auto V!” 

This received mixed reviews. Delta's Halo game play had been what attracted the majority of her viewers. While some were excited to watch the trio explore the city of Los Santos, others weren't too happy with the change. One hundred and four people stopped watching immediately and Delta's smile faltered. 

Dan must have noticed her expression through the camera. He nudged his leg against hers and piped, “Make sure to follow up with us on the Eon Echo Gaming YouTube channel tomorrow!” Just the mere sound of his chipper voice brought Delta's mood back up. “Barry and Eon are working together to record this and they're going to keep a counter of how many people we run over in the game!”

This seemed to do the trick. The current viewers remained loyal, and the ones who came after Dan's announcement stuck around long enough to realize that it wasn't just a normal Eon Echo Gaming session. The Grump's faces attracted an abundance of attention. Those who were familiar with them – which was the majority of the viewers – rapidly pecked away at their keyboards, trying to make themselves stand out. 

The trio traded off the controller when their character was either killed or arrested. It didn't take long for Delta to hand it to Arin; she hadn't played the game in well over a year and although she didn't want to admit it to her audience, she was a little rusty with everything except Halo. Once people had taken notice of her skills as a Spartan, most of her other games had gone forgotten. They seemed so insignificant in comparison. 

Sometime during Arin's turn to play, Delta had taken it upon herself to answer some of the questions and comments that appeared in the chat log. As much as she tried to focus on the game, she couldn't help herself. Reading a quickly disappearing comment, her lips pulled into a grin. It was someone who had shown up at the meet-and-greet the day before and had nothing but good things to say about her and Eon. 

“Thank you for showing up to support us!” Delta replied, not even attempting to sound out the username of the person. She'd tried that once before and completely butchered the name, resulting in a very irate fan. She had apologized profusely, but it didn't do much. Some people, she learned, couldn't accept apologies the easy way. “It was the first large group that Eon and I had ever had the chance to interact with. It was a little overwhelming at first, but we had so much fun with it!”

She leaned back to relax against the couch, flinching slightly as she felt Dan's arm brush against her. She hadn't noticed him snake his arm across the back of the couch while she was talking. Her heartbeat hammered away instantly, her palms gathering sweat. Focus, she told herself. Focus on the viewers.

Another intriguing comment popped up, one mentioning something called NeonCon. “Just wondering if EEG is going to be at NeonCon?” the viewer inquired. 

Delta's head slowly tilted to the side. “NeonCon?” she repeated. “I don't think I've ever even heard of that.”

“It's a pretty popular convention in Austin, Texas,” Arin explained between a flurry of profanities as his car took a head dive into the lake. With a frustrated sigh, he passed the controller to Dan. “We're actually going to be there.”

Much to Delta's dismay, Dan removed his arm from behind her head. “That sounds like a lot of fun,” she murmured, trying her hardest not to laugh at the sounds of distress coming from Dan's mouth. He'd mentioned that he had never played a Grand Theft Auto game before they started, but she didn't expect him to be as terrible as he was. It seemed even walking in one direction was a challenge. “Are all of you going?”

Arin lifted his hand, curling his fingers inward as he listed off the Grumps. “There's me, Dan, Suzy, Barry, Ross, and maybe Brian.”

“I don't think Eon Echo Gaming is really big enough yet to do a convention,” Delta confessed, watching in pure amusement as Dan leaned forward and called one of the characters a rat bastard. “I mean, it would be awesome, but--”

“Fuckin' kill the dude, Dan!” Arin shouted, his body suddenly lurching in the same direction as flailing arms. “Kill his chick, too! We don't need any fuckin' witnesses!”

“God, Arin! You make it sound so easy!” Dan hollered back. His voice trembled with a suppressed laugh.

“Being a murderer is literally the easiest thing!”

Delta listened to the two playfully bicker back and forth, watching Dan panic as he fled from the couple who wanted nothing more than to beat him to a pulp. Before long, her stomach began to ache from all the fits of laughter as they continued to pass the controller on. The game eventually became the main point of focus; the viewers and their comments fell forgotten for the time being. To Delta, only the three of them existed until reality landed a fist to her face. 

She had quit her job. In the midst of the giggles and yelling, the fact had slipped her mind, but now it was sneaking back into her thoughts at full force. Handing the controller to Arin, her face fell. Dismay set in. She had quit her job.

“Before Arin starts, we're going to take a fifteen minute break!” Dan decided, earning himself curious glances from both Arin and Delta. They said their goodbyes to the viewers, logged off, and simultaneously extended their limbs in graceful stretches. 

“Good call, man,” Arin mumbled as he hopped to his feet. “I've had to piss for the last half hour.”

The last half hour? Delta could've sworn they'd been streaming for only twenty minutes. Once Arin jogged his way from the office, she grabbed for her phone. Nearly an hour had passed since they started, which caught her by surprise. Then again, time always seemed to fly by when Dan was around. 

Speaking of Dan, the moment Delta locked her phone and slipped it back into her pocket, he turned to face her. “Something's up,” he said undoubtedly. “Are you okay?”

She took a moment to study him, guilt flowing over her. He was the first to notice that she, in fact, wasn't okay, and he was so eager to ask about it. Delta nibbled on the inside of her cheek, her mind and her heart waging a war against each other. 

She had already confided her name in him – something she couldn't stand the thought of doing with anyone else, but he was so easy to open up to. He was attentive and understanding. Surely he wouldn't ask too many questions if she told him. 

Delta's mind switched, blocking out that possibility entirely. It was Truckee she needed to talk to about this. Even with Dan's curious dark eyes boring into hers, she knew only her best friend could ease her worries. That's how it had always been.

“It was just a shit show of a day,” she said. It wasn't exactly a lie – just avoiding the whole story. 

Dan shot her an incredulous look. “All right, Delta.” The sound of his voice saying her name forced goosebumps onto her arms. “You can tell me when you feel like it. I'm going to go check in on Barry and Eon. Want anything from your kitchen?”

Shaking her head, Delta festered in her guilt as he left the room humming. The song he'd played for her in the car flashed through her mind. Although she loved everything about it – the melody, the lyrics, his voice – thinking on it only made her feel worse. He'd shared something with her that had meant a lot to him at some point in time, and yet she couldn't even tell him the reason why her day had been so gloomy. 

In her pocket, Delta's phone buzzed. The tiniest of smirks flickered across her face as she read Truckee's text. “ _seems lik ur havin fun out there._ ” 

Curling her hair behind her ear, Delta let out a heavy sigh. It wasn't the best of times to drop the ball, but she needed to get it off her chest. “ _About that...I quit my job today._ ” With a thumping heart, she hesitated for a moment before sending it. 

“God, I feel so much better!” Arin shouted as he strolled back into the room. Seeing Delta peer at him from over the back of the couch, he grinned and made his way toward her. “This is going pretty well, don't you think? I looked over some of the comments. People really like you and Dan together.”

Their gazes locked, both with two different expressions written on their faces. While Arin seemed as if it were nothing, Delta's mouth ran dry and her face flushed. “Uh, what?” So many questions raced through her mind. What did he mean by that? Why did people think that? Did they even give them a reason to think that?

Arin scrutinized her before grabbing the controller. “Sometimes when we play with other people, they usually start off a little awkward. It wasn't that way with you,” he explained with a shrug. “You and Dan apparently have chemistry.” He let out a cackling chuckle, which only made Delta feel all the more embarrassed. She felt as if she was in elementary school all over again.

Luckily, an incoming text from Truckee pulled her attention away from Arin for the time being. “ _finally! that place sucked. now we can do this all the time!_ ” 

Delta admired her optimism, wishing she could look at the situation the same way. But she was without a steady income now. She knew she was a prideful person; she absolutely abhorred asking anyone for help with anything. However, she also knew that if she didn't find another job soon, she would be on the phone with Truckee's grandparents. Just the idea of it filled her with dread. 

The door opened once more. Dan hustled back to the couch, plopped himself next to Delta, and handed her a Dr. Pepper. “I found it in your fridge. Figured you couldn't say no to it.”

Trying to ignore the persistent feeling of Arin smirking slyly at the two, Delta gave a meek word of thanks and took the soda. As Arin logged back into Twitch, Delta exhaled slowly and brought her gaze to the camera, an amiable smile etched on her face. “Hey, everyone! Welcome back to Grump Echo Gaming!”

The dark cloud over her head disappeared the second Dan slid his arm across the back of the couch, just barely running his fingers against her hair.

(~)

An hour and thirty-four controller passes later, the trio decided to call it quits. Much to Delta's surprise, some viewers begged them to keep playing while they said their goodbyes, but hunger and exhaustion were beginning to set in, and there was only so much Grand Theft Auto that Delta could play in one sitting.

While Arin and Dan rushed to Truckee's room to see what she and Barry had brewing, Delta retreated to her own room. She leaned against the door and allowed herself a moment to just breathe. It had been over a month since the the Grumps had crashed into her life, so why did this all still feel so surreal?

Three soft knocks at the door tore her away from it. Dan's beaming face met her as she pulled on the handle. “Arin killed the most people. I'm not really sure if he should be proud of it, but he is,” he told her. “Can I come in?”

Delta's mind instantly shifted to the last time she let a man into her room. What was his name again? She'd been too drunk to remember anything other than the fact that he had stolen ten dollars from her wallet as he left before she woke up the morning after. She shook that strange, cloudy memory off and opened the door further. “Yeah, of course.”

Shuffling past her, Dan's eyes darted all around her room. She closed the door behind him and watched as his gaze lingered on her unmade bed. “Everything looks so much bigger in person,” he commented before turning to her. “I'm worried about you, Delta. I mean, I know we haven't known each other for very long, but I don't like when you're all down in the dumps and shit.”

“I was smiling and laughing,” she defended, not entirely sure what to say to him. “I'm okay.”

Silently, Dan stared at her, a certain sort of sadness dancing in his eyes. Delta's heart cracked. Why did it pain her so much to keep information from him? He was right; they _hadn't_ known each other for very long, and yet she felt compelled to share every detail of her life with him. She turned from him and searched for anything to keep herself busy.

“I'm just feeling a lot of weird shit right now,” she muttered, plugging her phone into her wall charger. It wasn't even close to dying, but it gave her an excuse to not stand in one spot. “I mean, as excited as I am about everything, I still can't believe this is real half the time. Don't get me wrong – I'm so grateful for everything you guys have done for us. We owe you the world, but everything is still so crazy.”

Delta was fully aware that she was rambling now. She couldn't help it. As Dan sat on the edge of her bed, a strikingly handsome smirk on his lips, she paced about her room, both her mouth and her hands expressing her words. 

“And I'm also stressed about quitting Walmart,” she went on. Her voice tumbled from her tongue without much thought of filtering. “Truckee's grandparents are loaded, so we don't have to worry about our bills. But I always liked having my own way of bringing in money.”

Somewhere outside, a siren echoed down the street, pulling Delta from her revealing daze. She became speechless, her heart pounding as she turned to Dan who waited patiently for her to continue. God, he was so easy to talk to. Just getting everything off her chest to him made her feel a million times better. There was still one more thing bugging her. Before she had the chance to chicken out of saying it, she forced her final, lingering thought into the open.

“And I just...I don't want you to leave. A weekend wasn't long enough.”

Dan hadn't reacted to anything else she had told except with a tiny nod, but this sparked an actual response. He twitched as if someone had snuck up behind him, and promptly lifted himself from her bed. “Delta,” he murmured, bringing his arms around her waist.

Circling her own arms around his neck, Delta brought herself onto her toes and buried her face against his skin. Every time she'd touched him, a comforting warmth spread to her own body, leading to her faithfully believe that everything would be okay. It amazed her how much a simple embrace could mend someone who was so scared and overwhelmed. 

However, Delta was beginning to realize that there was nothing simple about Dan or the way she felt about him.

“This is all real,” he whispered, the sensation of his breath against her skin causing a shiver down her spine. “I promise you that this isn't some fucked up fever dream. And screw your old job. It was just a stepping stone for you. You're going to do so many great things with Eon Echo Gaming.”

Dan hesitated for a moment before tightening his hold on Delta. She closed her eyes, taking in everything about him – the gentle tickle of his hair against her forehead, the way his fingers curled ever so slightly around the back of her shirt, the agonizing yearning for time to stop ticking away. Then, after a heavy exhale, Dan's next words yanked at her heart even further.

“A weekend really isn't long enough. I wish we had a billion more together.”


	10. Losing You To You

“ _hey prty lady! just wanted 2 say gud mornin!_ ”

Fingers tightened around her hair straightener, Delta's eyes flashed to her phone. Disappointment racked through her, although she knew she shouldn't have gotten her hopes up in the first place. It had been two months since the Game Grumps crew left Reno, since Dan last had his arms around her. September was beginning to creep its way into the year and with it, an overwhelming sensation of loneliness.

Delta replaced the straightener with her phone, focusing on the name at the top of the screen, and replied, “ _Good morning, Lucas!_ ” 

With a heavy sigh and an equally heavy heart, she thumbed through her music, selecting the playlist accurately titled “Because You're Pathetic and You Miss Him.” It helped ease the difficult days when her texts went unanswered and when she wasn't even sure if her voicemails had been listened to. Closing her eyes for just a split second, Delta pictured Dan's beaming face as the song echoed off the bathroom walls around her.

“ _There's only one life. Fade out the line, fade out the line. There's only one life. Stay out of mine, stay out of mine._ ”

(~)

Once she emerged from the bathroom, Delta expected to find her best friend lounging about the apartment, but Truckee was nowhere in sight. She glanced at the digital clock perched atop the TV. Just past nine in the morning.

“Must've slept in,” she mused, heading toward the hallway to Truckee's room. Only Chief and Cortana occupied the bed, both lifting their heads to peer drowsily at Delta when she opened the door. 

It was strange, Delta thought as she closed the door. Usually Truckee was back from the gym by now. Hell, she left at 5:30 every morning. She couldn't imagine staying at the dreaded place for more than three hours. Come to think of it, Delta hadn't heard the car door shut like she always did. 

Avoiding stepping on the the vocal cats curling around her ankles, who now realized their food provider was awake, Delta moved toward the window to peer down at the street. Just as she touched the blinds, the front door opened. Frightened by the sudden noise of Truckee's ecstatic voice repeating Delta's name, the cats darted off to one of their various hiding spots around the apartment. 

“Del! Del! Holy shit, Del!” she hollered, waving around two envelopes in her hand. “If you thought the last check was big, check this out!” She giggled. “Get it? _Check_ this out? Because it's a check?”

Delta rolled her eyes, trying to hide her amused smirk, and snatched the envelope. “You're the worst,” she joked as she dug her fingernails into the paper. Her eyes widened at the income total at the bottom of the folded paper inside. “Holy shit,” she whispered, looking closely at it to be sure she wasn't reading it wrong.

“That's what I'm saying!” Truckee exhaled slowly and held the check to her chest. “You know what this means, Del?”

“Grocery shopping?”

“Grocery shopping!”

Five minutes later, the two found themselves in Truckee's car. Truckee ran her hand along the steering wheel dreamily as she did every time she drove it. Delta latched her seat belt and gave her friend an almost judgmental glance. “Are you still freaking out over this?” she inquired, gesturing her hands to the interior of the car. 

Starting the car and listening to the silence that followed, Truckee nodded. “This is the first brand new car I've ever owned. Hell, it's the first car I've ever owned,” she explained as she pulled onto the busy street. Her words rolled off her tongue rapidly, which always happened when she was excited about something. “Don't get me wrong. I liked sharing your car, but now we have a little more freedom, you know?”

Delta certainly understood what Truckee meant. Since the checks from their YouTube videos started coming in, they'd been able to upgrade their equipment, keep their bills paid on time, and begin payments for Truckee's car. They hadn't been tied down to any jobs, which relieved Delta more than she thought it would. The last thing she wanted to do was crawl back to Jim, begging for her position back because Eon Echo Gaming wasn't working out.

Luckily, it was the complete opposite. It was working out better than Delta and Truckee could have imagined. Their channel now had well over fifty thousand subscribers, and Delta constantly lost track of how many people watched her play on Twitch. It seemed as if someone recognized her every time she went out, so she'd developed a habit of making herself look decent before stepping out of the front door. 

“Now we just need to get you a new car,” Truckee suggested, driving past a Walmart. She knew better than to stop there for groceries. 

Delta shifted in her seat, an uncomfortable ball forming in her gut. “Why? I'm perfectly content with my little rust bucket.” 

“Yeah, until the wheels fall off all at once. I hope you realize that Dan was terrified for his life driving that thing.”

Delta's heart twisted and without thinking, she checked her phone. No new messages. Shocker. “Yeah, well, nobody has died driving it.”

“Yet. Hey, speaking of Dan, how's he doing? I haven't really had the chance to talk to him lately.”

As much as Delta loved talking about him, she felt a certain sort of dismay now. “That makes two of us,” she admitted, tapping her phone against her leg. “I've tried, but he hasn't responded to anything I send him.”

Truckee threw her a sideways glance, trying to give a look of sympathy while not slamming into the car in front of them. “He hasn't texted you? At all?” 

“Maybe a handful of times, but I can tell he isn't putting in much effort.” Talking about this should have helped Delta feel better, but getting it off her chest only put more weight on her. “He usually asks how I am, and I reply, and then I get nothing.”

“He could just be really busy. He _does_ have a million things going on at once.”

Peering out the window, Delta fell into her own puddle of thoughts. Truckee could be right; other than Game Grumps, Dan had his music, his fans, and his family. Who was Delta to him besides another YouTuber who just happened to have insatiable feelings for him? She couldn't expect his life to revolve around her, especially when there were so many other aspects to it.

Maybe she had been selfish with all this. Maybe she'd been expecting too much. It would have been different if they lived in the same town, in the same state, but that wasn't the case. They couldn't just meet up for lunch every Friday or go to the movies. Sure, they were friends, but their friendship wasn't normal. Nothing about them was normal. 

“All right. Let's get in and get out so we can hurry up and stream,” Delta suggested once the car came to a stop in the parking lot. 

“Agreed. I want to start working on the episode as soon as possible,” Truckee replied, gathering her wallet and keys before stepping out into the chilly air. 

They should have known better than to attempt grocery shopping on a Friday. Even in the middle of the day, the aisles were packed with screaming children, housewives who wore heels thin enough to snap in two at any given moment, and employees who looked like they'd rather be covered with spiders than deal with another rude customer. Delta grabbed a cart, waited for Truckee to find the list in one of her pockets, and delved into the madness. 

“You did put wine on the list, right?”

“Of course I did. Who do you think I am?”

Being sure not to fall behind, Delta trailed after Truckee closely, steering clear of running children and scolding mothers. She felt the same sort of privacy invasion she experienced at the meet-and-greet. Although it seemed like forever ago, she couldn't forget the urge to hide underneath the table from everyone who wanted her attention, while still holding a smile on her face and an amiable tone in her words. It had been stressful yet rewarding back then. Being in a crowded store was just stressful. Her mood plummeted and then immediately shot back up at the feeling of her phone vibrate against her leg.

Delta fished in her pocket, hoping Dan's name would pop up on the screen. Lucas' filled the space and she couldn't help but let out a soft groan. She waited for Truckee to stop and compare the prices of different brands of sugar before checking to see what he had to say.

“ _off 2day. want 2 get coffee ltr?_ ” 

“Is that Dan?” 

Delta lifted her focused gaze – it always took a little bit of concentration to read Lucas' texts – to Truckee's curious face. “No, just Lucas,” she replied, nibbling on the side of her cheek. She had first reached out to him three weeks after Dan left as a way to say her thanks for his dedication to Eon Echo Gaming. A conversation had sparked from that, yet she'd never actually taken him up on his first offer to get coffee. 

“Just Lucas,” Truckee repeated dramatically. “You say that like it's nothing.”

Delta thought her words through before opening her mouth. As much as she wanted to admit that she'd rather talk to Dan, she pushed that fact aside and replied, “He wants to get coffee today, but we have things to do.”

Tossing a box of zero calorie sweetener into the cart, Truckee narrowed her eyes and huffed, “Del, just do it. You can stream later.” 

Delta studied her for a moment before turning back to her phone. “ _Sounds great. When and where?_ ”

(~)

The moment Delta pulled into the Starbucks parking lot, Lucas stood from the patio table where he'd been waiting for her. Nervousness made her palms sweat and her fingers tremble. She tried to shake it off as she opened her car door, but her feelings remained stubborn.

“Hey, Echo!” Lucas called, meeting her half way. He pulled her into a tight embrace, resting his chin atop her head for just a moment. Delta noted his scent – enticing, but not the kind that lingered on Dan's clothes. Lucas smelled of the popular sprays Delta's brothers would bathe themselves in when they were in high school. 

“Hi, Lucas,” Delta murmured against his jacket, returning his grin as they pulled away. “Thanks for inviting me out.”

“Yeah, of course.” He sounded almost as nervous as she felt. “I'm actually a little surprised that you agreed to come.”

She didn't want to confide that it took a threatening look from her best friend to convince her. As they walked into the building together, she simply shrugged and said, “It's a nice change of pace from the work we've been doing lately.”

“I bet. I've noticed how many people are discovering you guys lately.”

Fortunately, the Starbucks wasn't very crowded. It consisted mostly of a small group of business partners holding a private meeting, a college student furiously writing an essay, and a woman stowed away in the corner with a Nora Roberts novel in her hands. Nobody seemed to notice the pair walk in through the double doors, which Delta was more than grateful for. 

Three people had recognized Truckee and Delta at the grocery store and proceeded to ask for autographs and pictures, but it seemed as if Starbucks would be different. More calm and relaxing, until they approached the register. 

“Oh my God, you're Echo!”

Delta forced a smile onto her face and nodded to the cashier. A lanky brunette, he reminded her so much of Travis. The memory of him still left a bitter taste on her tongue. “Oh my God, I am!” she replied, causing a wheezing laugh from the excited teenager before her. He couldn't have been any older than eighteen. 

“I love Eon Echo Gaming!” he rattled on. “M-My friends and I are starting our own channel like yours!”

This struck Delta as something completely new and strange. The idea that she would inspire someone else to start a gaming channel never occurred to her and now that it had become a reality, it surprised her. She knew it wasn't entirely out of the blue – Rooster Teeth had been her main motivator before she and Truckee started. But the fact that Eon Echo Gaming had done the same for someone else made her feel a mixture of emotions. She was flattered as hell and excited for them. 

“Thank you so much,” she murmured, eyeing his nametag, “Alex.” She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks, though she knew she could just blame it on the crisp air outside. “I'm glad you like what we do.”

“Um, wh-what can I get for you?” Alex inquired as he turned to his register. 

Delta settled for a small black coffee while Lucas, who was deadset on paying, ordered a beverage she'd never heard of before. Starbucks wasn't her usual choice of coffee shops, so she was unfamiliar with most everything on the menu. But when he asked for a “Half-Caf Grande Sugar-Free Soy Caramel Latte, no whip, with an extra shot of sugar-free syrup on top, not stirred in, but in a venti cup and a cup of ice on the side” she couldn't help but look up at him in pure confusion. It didn't even sound good to her, not that she could understand it.

“So,” Lucas said as they sat at a small table against the wall, “tell me about yourself. I'm curious to know the Echo behind all the popularity.”

To stall for time, she took a scalding sip of her coffee. The tip of her tongue numbed, but she tried not to show the agony on her face. “What exactly do you want to know?” she asked with a chuckle. 

Lucas shrugged. “I read your wiki page, but there isn't much on there yet.”

“I have a wiki page?” 

A shocked look flashed across his face, followed by a fit of laughter of his own. “Of course you do,” he replied. “You didn't know that?”

Embarrassment settled over Delta as she took another regretful sip. Her coffee hadn't cooled at all in the last ten seconds. “I do now.” Clearing her throat, she tried to process the fact that she actually had her own wiki page and made a mental note to check it out when she got home. Hopefully there wasn't anything too revealing on it. 

Lucas leaned in closer to her, his hazel eyes sparking with intensity. “What are your dreams, Echo? Have you ever danced in the rain? Who's the one person who can bring you up when you feel like shit?”

His questions caught her off guard, and yet Dan popped into her mind with each of them. Her dreams? Dan. He invaded them relentlessly. Dancing in the rain? She'd love to with Dan. And of course, just Dan's smile could do wonders for her mood. 

Yet she settled. She settled on answers that had nothing to do with him. Simple, generic lies.

(~)

“How was your date?”

“It wasn't a date.”

Truckee cast her a disbelieving look. “You guys had coffee. That's totally a date. Did he kiss you?”

Delta kicked off her boots and tossed her car keys onto the cluttered kitchen table. “No, he didn't kiss me,” she told. “We just talked.” 

As eager as she was to get home, Delta had actually had a nice time with Lucas. Aside from the odd drink choice and string of questions thrown at her, it was nice to be with someone who gave her their undivided attention. He'd even texted her before she'd gotten home to thank her for coming out to see him and that he was looking forward to hanging out with her again soon. 

Lucas hadn't tried to hold her hand or kiss her or make any suggestions that there was any sort of romance involved with his presence. It made her feel better being around him, but also forced a horrible thought into her head. What if that had been where she went wrong with Dan? It was her who had initiated the hand holding at Lake Tahoe. Maybe she had creeped him out? Maybe he didn't like her as much as she liked him?

“Before we start streaming, we have to watch this thing that Barry sent me,” Truckee decided, pulling out her phone. “He said it was important for you to see.”

Intrigued, Delta hovered over Truckee's phone as she scrolled through the endless amounts of emails. Finally, she stopped at one titled “Make Sure Echo Watches This Before She Does Anything Else Ever!!!! I'm So Serious Right Now You Wouldn't Even Believe!!!!” She selected it and watched as the screen fell black.

“ _Hey I'm Grump! I'm Not-So-Grump! And we're the Game Grumps!_ ”

Delta's heart pounded away in her chest. She hadn't been watching much Game Grumps lately. Her own channel had taken up so much of her time that she found it hard to steal even fifteen minutes to watch. It didn't start as a usual episode, however. After the theme, the screen faded to black again and words appeared on the screen. 

“Shit from before we actually started recording. Dan wanted this deleted,” it read. “Too bad I don't listen to a word he says.”

Whatever game Dan and Arin had been playing was paused. The menu took up the entire screen and didn't change for the rest of the video. The two still talked, though, leaving Delta and Truckee to wonder if they realized the microphones and audio recording were on. 

“Have you talked to her lately?” Arin asked, the normal comical tone in his voice gone. He was all business now. 

“I've been trying to so freaking hard, man, but life doesn't want me to,” Dan answered, his own voice dismal. “Every time I think I have enough time to actually have a conversation, something comes up. And I'm always so exhausted at the end of the day that I can't stay awake long enough to text her back or anything.”

“That really sucks, dude.”

“I know, right? Because, fuck, she's great. She's _so_ great. It's been so long since I've met someone who I hate not talking to. I've been thinking about just taking a weekend to drive over to Reno and surprise her, but I can't find a weekend that works.”

“Sounds like you've got a little kid crush.” Arin laughed and Dan chuckled in return. Delta felt as if her knees were going to give out. 

“I'm past that point, I think. When we went to Wendy's with them, I couldn't look at her because she made me so nervous. That's never happened before, dude. My little kid crush has turned into some pretty hardcore feelings.”

“You caught the feels?!”

“I caught the feels so fucking hard.”

The screen faded again and another string of Barry-added words popped up. 

“Echo, if you're watching this, that was about you.”


	11. Opening The Gates

Delta's mouth ran dry. She could feel her pulse in every part of her body – her wrists, her neck, maybe even her eyes. She wasn't completely sure about that, though; the last two minutes left her dazed and bewildered, yet gave her a comforting sense of closure. 

Dan had just been busy and exhausted. Truckee had been right after all. It wasn't that he didn't like her. In fact, it was the exact opposite. 

Her fingers twitched, almost reaching for her phone. She had to text him, although she wasn't quite confident in what she would say. No, she couldn't do that. Barry had sent the video to her against Dan's wishes. She couldn't just throw him under the bus like that.

“Heeeelllloooo? Earth to Del!”

Delta blinked, her gaze flashing to meet Truckee's. “What?” she whispered, her mind fuzzy. “Sorry. I just kind of zoned out there.”

“I can tell. It looked like you just completely checked out.” Truckee placed a hand on Delta's back, her brows furrowing together. “You okay?”

Delta hesitated, giving herself a moment to consider her answer. “Yeah, I'm good. I just...I don't know. I think I'm a little shocked.” That, she decided, was the biggest understatement of the century.

“I'm not.”

“You're not?”

A cheeky grin growing on her face, Truckee made her way toward the couch and proceeded to throw herself onto the cushions. “Hell no,” she replied, stretching her limbs out every which way. “It was obvious from the beginning that there was something between you guys.” She covered her mouth with her fist and let out a deep yawn. “Everyone can see it. Well, I mean, expect for you two, I guess.”

Delta folded her arms over her chest and perched herself on the arm of the couch. “Everyone?” she repeated. She felt as if she were in high school all over again. 

“Oh, definitely.” Truckee began typing away on her phone before holding it toward Delta. “Fans, especially.” 

Delta had never been keen to using social media like Truckee had. Then again, all Delta really had to do was play video games on Twitch. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, on the other hand, meant nothing to her. Long ago, she had a Facebook, and then deleted it once she found herself annoyed by everyone she knew during her childhood gloating about their new houses, their successful marriages, and their beautiful children. 

But looking upon the countless number of pictures on Truckee's Instagram search, a spark of curiosity lit inside her. People had taken screenshots of the streaming she did with Dan and Arin, and transformed them into gorgeous pictures. Just as it had when Dan had talked about having feelings for her, Delta's heart rate sped up significantly, causing her breathing to become shallow and her mouth to parch.

Although many of the pictures were of Dan, Arin, or Delta by themselves, there was a tremendous chunk that consisted of the moment Dan and Delta had locked gazes, dreamy smiles on both their faces. Colorful hearts and grand effects littered the space around them, and the captions supported the idea that they would make a lovely couple. 

“Arin notices it, too,” Truckee went on, twirling a clump of hair around her pointer finger. “The way Dan looks at you and how flustered you get around him sometimes. I think he and Suzy made a bet on who was going to make the first move.”

Delta flushed. Unsure if she should be upset or flattered by the bet, she passed Truckee's phone back to her and let out a petulant huff. Just as she began to ask who placed their bet on who, her own phone vibrated in her pocket. Truckee noticed her body jolt slightly and raised her brows, silently suggesting Dan's ears must have been ringing. 

“It's Suzy,” announced Delta. “Perfect timing. Now I can ask her who she bet on.” 

Truckee lurched forward, desperately trying to knock the phone from Delta's grasp. “No!” she hollered as Delta gracefully avoided her reach. “Don't say anything to her! I promised I wouldn't tell you or Dan!”

Rolling her eyes, Delta shook her head slowly. “Chill out. I'm not going to tattle on you. But I hope you all realize how childish you're being about this.”

Her eyes fell on the screen, on Suzy's words. In the last month, the two had been texting back and forth quite frequently. Much more frequently than with Dan. Suzy remained adamant on bringing Delta onto her own show for a makeup tutorial for people who had heterochromia. It was a challenge that Suzy was more than eager to tackle, but figuring out how to get Delta to Glendale was the issue. The timing never seemed right, and now with Dan's feelings in the picture, it only made it that much harder. 

“ _Arin wants to play Overwatch with you if you have the time! No GG stuff. Just for fun!_ ” 

“Do it,” came a whisper into Delta's ear. 

She gasped and ducked down, not realizing that Truckee had somehow managed to sneak over to her and breathe down her neck in the time it took her to read Suzy's text. “Jesus!” she hissed, narrowing her eyes at the redhead. Then, in pure sarcasm, she added, “Yes, Mother. I was already planning on it.”

Less than five minutes later, Delta and Truckee huddled together at Truckee's computer, both wearing a headset of their own. Once the Skype call connected and Suzy and Arin's faces appeared, four identical smiles mirrored through the screens. Suzy lifted her hand in a short wave while Arin lifted his shirt to flash a nipple. 

“Hey, guys!” Suzy greeted gleefully. “How are you?”

Delta's mind blanked with the exception of Dan's face. How was she? That was a good question. She was so many things at the moment: still in shock, ecstatic, wondering just where this was all going to go. Would she and Dan be able to pursue anything more than a friendship? It seemed unlikely at this point. Distance could do horrid things to relationships, but it could also make them stronger. 

While her mind raced, Truckee and Suzy blathered on about some TV show they'd both been watching. Arin, however, seemed to take note of the blank stare she cast through the camera. “You okay, Echo?” he asked, his voice clear over the two women. 

Delta blinked the dryness from her eyes, her rampant thoughts coming to a halt. She focused completely on Arin, on his face and the way he stared at her with the utmost concern. “Yeah, I'm okay,” she answered. She opened Overwatch and pulled the small square containing his and Suzy's faces toward the upper left corner of the computer screen. He didn't seem convinced. 

“How was your date today?” Suzy chimed in, practically bouncing in her seat. 

Once again, confusion struck Delta. “My wha – Oh, damn it.” She turned to Truckee, who wore a guilty, seemingly innocent smile. “You told them? You told them it was a _date_?” 

“Look, it was a huge deal for me, okay?” Truckee rebutted, her cheeks turning the same shade of red as her hair. “You haven't gone on a date in so long and I was just really happy for you.”

“Unless you count that date with Dan in Tahoe.”

Delta's head whipped back to the computer screen. “ _That_ wasn't a date,” she defended as Suzy giggled. “I was just showing him around, okay?” Her fingers felt rigid against the keyboard at their teasing. She knew it was all in good fun, that they didn't mean to make her feel so embarrassed, but mentioning Dan reminded her of the video and what he said about her. Processing it all was proving to be harder than she thought. 

“I'm sorry,” Suzy murmured, her grin slowly falling. “I don't mean it.”

This was the perfect chance for revenge, Delta thought. She glanced at Truckee again before turning toward Suzy and Arin. “So,” she started, tapping her knee against Truckee's, “who bet on who?”

Suddenly, Arin burst into a fit of laughter as Truckee's mouth fell open. Suzy looked absolutely mortified, like a kid caught stealing candy. “W-We didn't – I mean, I didn't – We-well--”

Just seeing the two stammer and try to cover what they'd done made Delta feel a hundred times better about the situation. “I'm joking,” she finally admitted once Arin quieted himself. “Now that you've gotten a taste of what I felt, should we play some Overwatch?”

The game began slow and a little rough. Delta hadn't played much of the game since it came out, but she'd gotten good enough at a few characters so that she didn't die every time she turned around. She was grateful that the game play wasn't going to be recorded and used for Game Grumps or Eon Echo Gaming. She had always tried to keep the cursing to a minimum on the show; she knew young kids often tuned in, but she couldn't help but let her profanities loose. 

Arin made up for her lack of skills. They'd formed a partnership somewhere along the lines: Arin had changed to a healer while Delta dealt the damage. He watched her back and she kept other players from killing him. It worked out well enough, until a door opened behind Suzy's head. 

“What's up?” Dan's voice questioned. 

Delta faltered. She completely forgot which keys to use to move or even attack. All the while, his remark from earlier rang through her head. 

“ _I caught the feels so fucking hard._ ”

“Whoa! Whoa! Echo, I need you!”

Echo? Oh, shit, that was her! 

Bringing her attention back to the game, Delta witnessed Arin's final moments before another player blasted him off the side of a walkway into the never-ending abyss of clouds below. She cringed, let out a heavy sigh, and muttered, “Oh, shit, I'm sorry, Arin! I wasn't paying attention, I guess!”

Though he tried to give off a sense of anger, he lifted his brows tauntingly. “Oh, weren't you?” he purred before turning his head to look at Dan. “Oh, look who's here!”

Much to Delta's horror, Dan grabbed for a metal folding chair and settled himself on the other side of Arin, a headset identical to Arin's already secured around his mess of hair. Of course, Delta bitterly thought to herself. Of course he'd have to wear his glasses. The cat was already out of the bag. Well, it was to everyone except Dan. Suzy knew, Arin knew, Truckee knew, and now Delta knew. Luckily, the group decided the conversation of whatever was brewing between the two would best fit for another time. As for now, Arin and Delta had a game to win. 

“So, Dan, how was your day?” There was a certain hint of feigned curiosity in Truckee's voice that made Delta want to hush her. 

“It was awesome! Brain and I got a lot of stuff done for NSP. We're actually a little ahead of schedule now, so I'll have more breathing room to relax.”

Inconspicuously, Truckee tapped Delta's thigh with the back of her hand. “That's great!” Truckee replied. “It's always such a nice feeling to have more spare time.” 

“Yeah, now I can do some of the things I needed to take care of.”

Another tap. “I get what you mean. We've been pretty busy too. Fans are actually wanting to meet with us. Coffee dates and the like, y'know?”

What in the world was Truckee getting at? Delta's teeth hitched onto the inside of her cheek as she tried her hardest not to let Arin die again. Unfortunately, the opposing team realized what a threat he was as a healer and focused their attacks on him. Between playing the game and eavesdropping on the conversation between Truckee and Dan, she was becoming more and more frustrated. 

“You guys hang out with fans?” Dan inquired. He sounded genuinely impressed. 

“Well, Echo does.”

“Let's not bring the point of interest my way, huh?” Delta snapped. In all honestly, she didn't mean to come across so curtly, but she couldn't help it. Truckee was trying to set her up with Dan during the worst possible time. Apparently, she didn't need her best friend to help in such a way – things were going just fine on their own. 

Delta stole a quick peek at Dan. As always, he looked perfect. With that usual angelic smile planted on his face, he leaned in closer toward the screen, studying Delta in the same manner. For a split second, their gazes met and she hurried to look away. Still, she couldn't help but smile herself. 

“Maybe we should play this for Game Grumps sometime,” Arin suggested once the round had ended. Their team had won with his help. “We make a pretty good team.”

“I'm not really sure about that,” Delta replied, flexing her fingers. They'd cramped up once or twice during the game. “I'm not the best at PC games. I'm better when I have a controller.”

“Don't sell yourself so short,” Dan piped in. “I thought you did great. Not that I know much about Overwatch or anything, but you died less times than Arin.”

God, she wanted so badly to explain to him that Arin played a character that had lower defense than she did, but she kept her mouth shut. She found it ironic – and a little shitty – that the first actual conversation she'd had with him in the last two months was over a video game, but she took it for what it was. Deep down, Delta was just glad to see his face. 

“Let's play another round, Arin,” Delta said. “I need to get better if we're going to do this for your show.”

And so they started again. This time, everyone kept quiet, intently watching the two cover each other's backs while killing the characters of the enemy team. The only words that were traded were between Arin and Delta, who signaled when the other needed a heal or when they needed to turn and attack. It worked out better than they could've imagined; neither of them showed any signs that they would die any time soon. 

“ _Roses are red and violets are blue. One day we'll cruise--_ ”

“Who is it?” Delta demanded to know. She watched Truckee peer over at her phone on the desk, but refused to look away from the computer screen for any longer than two seconds. 

“It's Lucas.”

Delta mentally groaned. He had the worst timing. However, something – and she wasn't sure what that something was – told her to look in Dan's direction. A strange expression shot across his face – one Delta had never seen on him before. If she wasn't caught up in the game, just looking at the slight hurt in his eyes would've been enough to ignore the call.

“Silence it. I'm in the middle of something more important.”


	12. The Order of Chaos

NeonCon. NeonCon. NeonCon.

That word was everywhere, it seemed. In the gamer magazines Delta flipped through when she was standing in lines at stores, on nearly every website she visited for more news within the gaming industry, and even in her own Twitch streaming sessions. It killed her every time she had to reply back to her viewers with, “No, Eon and I won't be at NeonCon this year. But hey, there's always next year, right?”

More often than not, she felt as if she was trying to convince herself of that fact more than other people. It actually pained her that Eon Echo Gaming would be at home in their shitty little apartment and hanging out with their cats while all the big YouTubers would be together in one place for a weekend, having a grand old time without them. 

“You shouldn't be so upset about it, Del,” muttered Truckee one morning as she sipped away at her coffee, her eyes locked on the half finished animation in front of her. She'd been stuck on the same drawing for two days. “I mean, I'm a little bummed, but I'm also just grateful that it may be an option for us next year. If our fans make a big enough deal about it, I'm sure we'll end up with everyone else.”

Next year seemed like five years to Delta, but she knew Truckee was right. So, she pushed her jealousy aside and went about her days brainstorming new ideas for games and juggling all the praise she received from those who watched her. 

Every day, the amount of messages that flooded her email seemed to triple. Every day, their subscriber count grew. Every day, her phone chirped with texts and voicemails from Lucas. 

“ _Hey, Echo! Sorry I've called four times already today! Just wondering if you want to hang out? Call me back. Bye!_ ”

“ _hi echo. im off 2day. want 2 get 2 kno u bttr. lets hang out_ ”

“ _Okay, maybe I'm coming off a little strong here, but c'mon. The least you can do is reply to something. I know you're busy and all, but I'm busy too and I'm still making time for you. I really think we could have something great. Call me._ ”

Sitting cross-legged on her bed, Delta scrolled through all the messages with a sinking feeling in her gut. Maybe getting coffee with him had been a bad idea? At first, she considered returning his calls, but they just kept coming, one after the other. Even during her live streaming sessions, her phone vibrated unrelentingly in her pocket. 

She sighed and tapped her phone against her leg just in time for another text to come through. “Not again,” she groaned. She closed her eyes tightly, exhaled a long and slow breath, then unlocked her phone. 

“ _Hey, Delta. It's Dan._ ”

Her heart fluttered immediately. A text from Dan? Was the world ending or something? She continued reading, surprised by the length of the message. 

“ _I hope you saved my number. I know most people delete the numbers of dicks who don't treat their friends right. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for going two and a half months without talking to you very much. Life has been insane, but I know that isn't a good excuse. Things are starting to slow down now that NeonCon is coming up, so please don't give up on me. I've been watching Eon Echo Gaming as much as I can. You're doing great, and Eon's animations are getting better and better. I wish you could see how giddy Barry gets every time she uploads a video. It's so disgustingly cute. We wish you guys were coming to NeonCon. We all miss you, and Ross is pissed that he hasn't met either of you yet. I'd really love to introduce you to Brian, too. Anyway, I'm sorry, again. I hope you aren't too upset with me. I promise I'll be better at this whole social interaction thing or whatever you kids call it these days. If you aren't busy, text me back. Or better yet, call me. I want to know how your day is going._ ” 

No matter how hard Delta tried to rid herself of the dorky grin plastered on her face, it remained stubborn. Still, she hesitated, her finger hovering over the option to call him. Would she seem a little too desperate if she did it right away? More than anything, she didn't want to give him the impression that all she did was wait around her phone for him to make a move. Did the three-day-rule apply here?

“Fuck it,” she hissed, her fingertip landing on the green phone icon. It rang once. 

“Delta?”

“Hi, Dan.” 

Lying back on her pillows, Delta held her phone close to her face as if it were Dan's hand. All the uncertainty that had been flowing through her just before she called vanished at the sound of his voice. Their conversation felt as if they'd never broken their routine of talking every day like they did in the beginning. It all felt so natural.

For hours, they caught up on their daily lives. Dan filled Delta in on the “behind the scenes” moments; the things that happened when there wasn't some sort of device recording him. He'd come down with a fever for a few days and spent most of that time in bed, drifting in and out of sleep. With a bit of reluctance, he admitted to dreaming about talking to her and woke up wondering if that had actually happened or not. 

He'd also gotten into a traffic accident and totaled his car. Neither him or the other driver were harmed at all, but he was sad to see his old car go. “That thing and I have been through so much shit,” said Dan sorrowfully. “Road trips, hitchhikers, sometimes I slept in it. It's just rough to think that I'll never drive it again.” His tone changed, though, when he began to gush over the brand new Nissan he ended up with in the end. “There's just so much leg room! That's something very important to me!”

With a giggle, Delta replied, “I don't doubt that at all. I've never had an issue with it, so I can't relate.”

In return, she told him about Truckee's new car, all the love she was getting from fans, and lastly, Lucas. Not so oddly enough, underneath her own voice, a soft chirp sounded through her phone. She lifted it away from her face and rolled her eyes at the incoming call from said person. 

“He won't leave you alone?” Dan inquired. 

“No, and he's calling right now.” Delta sighed and ran a hand over her face. “I mean, he was nice and all when I had coffee with him, but now he's acting like he's my boyfriend or something. He blows up my phone every day.”

Silence fell over them for a short period of time. Finally, Dan spoke up. “Look, Delta, I know you really appreciate your fans, but sometimes doing one-on-one things like that gives them the wrong idea. I mean, I once had to break up with a girl who I wasn't even dating because of it.”

“I know, but he was just so nice.”

“They're all nice, sweetheart.”

Delta's stomach flipped. Sweetheart? Dan had just called her sweetheart? She hadn't realized they were on nickname basis yet, but she wasn't complaining. 

“You're right,” she went on, trying her hardest not to obsess over what he'd just called her. “So, not to sound like a dick or anything, but what did I do so right to be able to talk to you for almost two hours?” She noted the time on the wall, surprised that Truckee hadn't rapped on her door to see why she hadn't left her bedroom in so long. 

“Well, funny story, actually. Arin and I were supposed to start recording some Grump stuff, but he's been on the phone with someone for as long as we have. He won't tell any of us who it is except Suzy. And now she's had this huge grin on her face for the last half hour.”

“Sounds like he's going to surprise you guys with something.”

“Maybe. I just wish he'd freakin' tell us.” His melodic laughter filled Delta's ear. “I hate waiting. Oh, speaking of waiting, how would you feel if I came – Oh, hey, dude. It's Echo.” A short pause. “Arin says hi.”

“Tell him I say hi back.”

“She says what's up. Yeah. Oh, yeah, sure. Give me like, two minutes.” Another beautiful fit of laughter. “Two freakin' minutes, Arin! That's all I'm asking for!” Delta heard a door close over the phone, and then Dan's voice addressed her once more. “Okay, he's done talking to whoever, so we're going to start playing. Can I text you when we're done?”

Delta spoke without thinking. “You can text me whenever. You don't have to ask.” She cringed slightly. God, she sounded so pathetic.

“It was really nice talking to you again, Delta. This is probably going to sound cheesy, but I've really missed you.”

Damn him and his casual words. He said them as if they were nothing, but little did he know that Delta's heart and mind would continue to reel over them for hours. “I've missed you too, Dan,” she muttered. “Have fun with Arin!”

“Thanks! Talk to you later!”

The phone fell dead, but Delta stared at it for what seemed like forever. Truckee was the only reason why her attention was ripped away. The redhead opened the door without knocking and peered into the bedroom. “Ready to stream? Hey, why's your face my hair color?”

Delta couldn't hold back. A gigantic smile grew on her face, followed by some sort of squealing giggle as she looked up at her friend. 

“Dan called me sweetheart.”

(~)

There were just too many to keep up with. Between focusing on staying alive in Dying Light and remembering to feel for Dan's text, Delta couldn't even begin to interact with her viewers. She greeted them as always, dropped the hint that Truckee would soon be starting an animation series she'd been thinking of for the last two years, and then fell into the dazed mindset she often experienced when playing on her own. Still, she tried to tear her gaze away to read some comments.

One particular comment caught her attention almost right away. Her heart sank the moment her eyes trailed over the words, “ _i ain't a fan of this shit, but i had to drop in and see what the fuck the deal is with this wanky eyed bitch. if y'all wanna see some real content, watch my channel._ ” 

Don't dignify that with a response, Delta told herself as her leg began to bounce underneath the desk. She exhaled slowly through her nose, blinked back a few tears that sprung up, and swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. Still, her chest ached and her stomach churned. She'd yet to suffer through people who disliked her channel, although she knew it was coming and was shocked that it hadn't happened sooner. 

Her spirits lifted when other viewers came to her rescue. Though some were a little more vicious than others, they defended Delta and her game play faithfully. After about fifteen minutes of arguing back and forth, the instigator eventually decided hanging around wasn't worth their time and dropped out of the session. 

“I want to thank everyone who jumped to my defense just now,” Delta announced sincerely. The stomach churning had been replaced by a comforting warmth. “When Eon and I first started doing this, we knew that would happen eventually. I guess the best way to handle it is to do what your parents probably taught you when you were five: just ignore it and look the other way. The haters will get bored eventually and move onto someone else.”

Her phone vibrated and she found herself instantly wishing she could end the session and check to see who it was. Hopefully Dan. It was still relatively early in the day and she felt as if she couldn't handle anymore bullshit from people, especially Lucas. Delta knew that she would someday have to tell him to back off, but today wouldn't be that day. 

After half an hour more of playing, she decided to call it quits. “All right, guys! I'm going to end it here before I start the next mission!” she declared, setting the controller in her lap to flex her fingers. “Thank you so much for everything today! I honestly have no clue what I did right in my past life to deserve such amazing fans like all of you.”

She could've sworn she heard heavy footsteps somewhere in the apartment. Frantic, like someone was running. Then again, it could've just been background noise from the game. 

“Remember to check out our YouTube channel tomorrow for another of Eon's anima--”

The door behind her flung open, causing her to jolt in surprise. Truckee, with her own headset on, clamored into the room and perched herself on Delta's lap. “Hello, everyone!” she shouted into her mic. Delta flinched away from her voice, but wrapped her arms around the woman so she wouldn't slide off. “My name is Eon! I know most of you have never seen my face before, but here it is!”

She grinned into the camera, framing her face with the backs of her hands. Delta watched her in horror, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. “Eon, what are you--”

“I'll get to that part, my dearest best friend in the entire universe!” Truckee interrupted, curling her arms around Delta's shoulders. Had she just snorted a line of coke or something? “I come to you all with the biggest announcement we've had so far!”

Then, she fell silent. Delta nudged her, shaking her ever so gently. “You suck at the dramatic suspense thing. Just say it!”

Truckee's chest expanded with a breath. Delta could feel her trembling body against her own. 

“Book your flights for Austin, Texas because in two weeks, Eon Echo Gaming will be attending NeonCon!”


	13. A Day in the Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I just wanted to take a quick moment to share something with all of you.
> 
> When I first started this story, I had no intention of writing anything past the fifth chapter. It was one of those, "I have a mighty need to write a thing and I need to get it out of my system!" sort of things. I never expected this story to take off or get as much love as it did, but between AO3 and Wattpad, I'm overwhelmed by the attention it has been getting lately. 
> 
> I just want to say a quick 'thank you' to all of you. You guys who leave kudos and comments and even just take the time out of your day to read something I wrote are the reason why I love writing as much as I do. So, thank you so much for taking this journey with me!

“Arin, honestly, thank you so much.”

“Hush.”

“Seriously, I don't know how we're going to repay--”

“I said hush, woman!”

“Can I just ask one thing?”

“Depends on what it is.”

“I just want to know how you did it.”

“That, my dear, is something you don't need to worry your pretty little head about. We'll see you in two weeks, Echo.”

(~)

Never mind the fact that the duo would soon be facing thousands of fans in a time span of a weekend – the buzzing airport alone was nearly enough to send Delta and Truckee into a shared panic attack. They should've known better than to book their flight for a Friday morning. Hell, their tickets and hotel fees had been waved. What was another night away from Reno?

“I hate this part,” Truckee admitted as they stood in line for security. “I always feel so violated.” She sighed dreamily and rested her cheek on Delta's shoulder blade, stifling a yawn with her fist. Her second wind came merely seconds later. “I can't believe this is happening, Del! We're going to NeonCon! And we have our own spot on the schedule!”

Delta stood motionless, shoeless, and phoneless, her eyes locked on the heavyset female security guard waving people through the metal detector. It felt so strange being away from the apartment on a Friday when they were supposed to be getting ready to stream. However, most of her viewers would have been absent; many made it clear they would be at NeonCon and wanted to meet her. The thought made her queasy. Or was it the fact that she would soon be boarding a giant metal death trap?

“All right, miss,” the bleary eyed guard addressed, motioning her over. “Make sure your feet are on the designs on the ground and raise your arms over your head.” 

Delta did as she was told. Lifting her arms above her head, she mentally thanked herself for her choice of clothes. It made the entire process easier.

She had known better than to dress in clothing that was too stylish; tight belts, jeans, and shirts would just be an uncomfortable hassle during their journey to Texas. So, she settled for a pair of cargo shorts, a Rooster Teeth sweatshirt, and flip-flops. She expected Austin to be much warmer than Reno, not that they would be outside for much of the time.

“Good to go,” announced the guard.

Delta hurried from the detector as Truckee replaced her. She grabbed for her belongings in the plastic bin that had just gone through it's own scanning. Her phone blinked with an unread text, one that she decided would be checked after she pulled her flip-flops back onto her feet, retrieved her suitcase, and slung her backpack straps around her shoulders. Having her things with her made her feel a little better about the whole ordeal, and having her phone back made her feel as though as wasn't disconnected from Dan, who had been talking her through the entire flying process since they found out they would be attending NeonCon.

After the initial excitement had worn off two weeks ago after Truckee's announcement, fear settled in. They would have to fly. Delta would have to get on a real plane and sit through a million hours of being a billion feet high in the air. At least, it seemed like a million hours and a billion feet. The trial seemed worse than childbirth to her.

She had expressed her dread to Dan one night over a Skype call – the first in months. She'd never been on a plane before and had no idea what to expect. Patiently, he explained everything to her: from the process of obtaining the tickets that had already been bought for them, to going through security, to finding their gate. 

“And if you get lost, you can always ask someone who works there,” he had told her. “But you're smart, so it probably won't happen. Besides, the Reno-Tahoe airport is tiny compared to others. You'll be fine.”

Once Truckee finished lacing up her own shoes, she stood straight and gave Delta a content smile. “Worst part's over, Del,” she assured her. “Well, other than the plane actually taking off.”

“Truckee,” Delta groaned, beginning the act of dragging her feet toward the direction of their gate. “Don't say that.”

While Truckee led them through the extensive hallways and clusters of loitering people, Delta's eyes remained glued to her phone. She reread Dan's text at least five times. At this point, it was the only thing proving to calm her nerves even the slightest. 

“ _We just got to Austin! It's hot as shit here, so I hope you didn't pack for Reno weather. We're excited to see you, especially Ross. He won't shut the fuck up about it. Anyway, don't stress about the plane. You're going to do great. Just put in some headphones and listen to music you like. It'll make the trip go by faster. Oh! And funny enough, we took Delta Airlines here, so you were on my mind the whole time._ ” 

Through the reflection of her phone screen, Delta could see the smirk on her own face as she replied, “ _If my plane crashes, tell my cats I loved them._ ” 

They found their gate ten minutes before boarding, which gave Delta more than enough time to ready her “Because You're Pathetic and You Miss Him” playlist. She let out a sharp exhale and sat next to Truckee on the padded blue seats. 

This was a piece of cake, she mused. People flew all the time and most of them didn't crash and die. It would be a one in a million chance that something like that would happen. Then again, she had a knack for beating the odds. 

“I'm going to puke,” she whined, covering her eyes with her hands. 

“Do it before we get on the plane,” advised Truckee as she nimbly twirled her hair around itself in a long braid. “There's only one bathroom on that thing and it's the size of a broom closet.” 

“Oh, God...”

Actually getting on the plane and finding their seats was simple enough. Delta had given Truckee her assigned window seat without any hesitation, leaving herself stuck between her best friend and a primp and proper business woman dressed in a navy blue suit. With blonde hair much like her own, Delta stole a moment to compare the length. She'd always considered cutting it short, but seeing it on this woman with her seemingly permanent scowl quickly made her change her mind. 

A crackling noise sounded over the ceiling of the plane, followed by the gruff voice of their pilot. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking,” he announced, his pace almost too fast to understand. “We would like to welcome you aboard the American Airlines flight to Phoenix, Arizona.”

“Arizona?!” Delta hissed as she tapped the Nintendo DS in Truckee's grasp. “We're not going to Arizona!”

Rolling her eyes, Truckee fished into her purse and showed the tickets she'd been hoarding for the both of them. “We have an hour layover in Phoenix, and then we'll get on the plane for Austin.” 

“I have to get on _another_ plane?!”

“Shh!” The snooty woman beside her put a finger to her lipstick stained beak, shushing Delta. “You need to be quiet while the pilot is talking, miss.”

Delta arched a brow, the heat of embarrassment washing over her. Who in the hell did this lady think she was? “I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were my mother,” Delta spat back. Then, not even a second later, she realized the words that came out of her mouth and rushed to add, “I-I'm so sorry. I've never been on a plane before. I'm just nervous.”

“Hmph.” Adjusting her weight, the woman crossed her legs and turned slightly toward the aisle and away from Delta. 

Before Delta knew it, the plane was driving along the runway, gaining speed rapidly. She curled her fingers rigidly around the armrests, her knuckles ivory. Uneven, ragged breaths escaped through her nose as the plane tilted upward and the wheels lifted from the ground. Truckee placed a hand over hers.

“You're going to be fine,” she muttered, sympathetically watching Delta shut her eyes tightly. “Once we get all the way up, you won't even know you're in the air.”

“Until I look out the window and freak out because I can't see people,” Delta replied in a strained voice.

In a swift motion, Truckee reached over and slammed the plastic covering over the window shut. A loud throat clear sounded in Delta's other ear. She opened her eyes to the furious expression of the woman to her right. “I'd appreciate it if you kept that open,” she snapped, spittle landing on Delta's arm. “I tried for that window seat, but it was already sold out.” Her already beady eyes narrowed into slits.

“We're famous on the Internet,” Truckee rebutted. This earned a moan from Delta. “So I'd watch your tone, lady.”

“And _I'm_ the CEO of the Walmart Corporation,” gloated the woman. 

Delta desperately searched her sweatshirt pockets for her cellphone and headphones. As speedily as she could, she stuffed the buds into her ears and cranked up her music, forcing Dan's voice to drown out the bickering she sat in the middle of. 

It was going to be a long flight.

(~)

“That wasn't so bad.”

“You didn't argue with some old bitch the entire time, Del.”

“Hey, that was your choice.”

Unfortunately, their second flight proved to be the same as the first. They ended up in the same row as the CEO, and this time, Truckee suffered the middle seat. While Delta found herself lost in Skyhill and Ninja Sex Party songs, Truckee occasionally made snarky remarks in reply to the woman's comments. Needless to say, she was more than eager to get away from the two once the plane landed. 

“All I'm saying is,” Truckee went on bitterly as she grabbed her suitcase from the luggage retrieval belt, “is that that lady can eat my as--”

“Excuse me, ladies, but would you happen to be Eon and Echo from Eon Echo Gaming?” 

Delta let out a quick huff. She was hoping that fan interactions would wait until later on in the day when they arrived at the convention. Her own suitcase in her hand, she turned to face the source of the polite question. A rather large and bulky man stood behind them, dressed in spotless black dress pants and a polo shirt. He looked to be much older than the both of them – Delta would've guessed mid-forties, with piercing blue eyes and a graying beard. His head was bald and decorated with a tattoo of a snake above his left ear.

“Are you here to assassinate us?” Delta asked.

“If you are, you should've picked a better place,” Truckee added, stepping up to stand beside Delta. “Airports are crowded, if you haven't noticed.”

They could have sworn they saw his mouth almost twitch into a smile, but no such thing came into existence. He remained silent for a moment, staring them down as if they were two petulant children. Maybe to him, they were. 

“Hilarious,” he finally deadpanned. “We're on a tight schedule, so if you don't mind, we should get a move on.”

Without any explanation whatsoever, he began toward the exit. Delta and Truckee exchanged a skeptical look, but trailed after him anyway. They spied a midnight SUV parked against the sidewalk as they stepped out into the musty, humid Texas air. 

“Look, if we're going to be getting into a car with you, I think you should let us in on who you are and why you're here for us,” Delta prodded, jogging ahead of Truckee to meet his pace. 

“I'm your hired escort.” He refused to tilt his head downward to look at her. “My name isn't important. I'm to take you to your hotel while deflecting any rabid fans from touching you.”

From behind them, Delta heard Truckee whisper in pure disbelief, “Is this dude fucking serious right now?”

They clamored into the SUV without trading any more words. Delta and Truckee huddled together in the back seat while their escort weaved in and out of traffic. He didn't turn on the radio or acknowledge them in the least. Delta kept herself busy by gripping onto her phone for dear life, anxiously awaiting a text from any of the Grumps. Truckee, on the other hand, decided it would be best to interrogate the man. 

“So, man in black, who hired you?”

“A man by the name of Mr. Hanson.”

Shaking her head, Delta peered out of the tinted window to her right. Leave it to Arin to set them up with the sheer embodiment of an emotionless blob. Why weren't they texting her?

“And so you just drive around and pick people up and take them places in your giant car?”

“Basically.”

“You're pretty much a glorified taxi.”

“Correct, but with more weapons.”

Delta nearly choked on her own spit at this. “Weapons?!” she shrieked, her gaze darting all around the interior of the car. “Are you kidding me right now?!” 

This sparked a hint of joy from the escort. He peered at her through the rear view mirror, the tiniest smirk on his worn face. “Only one. I have a handgun on me at all times for your protection.” 

She sunk back into the seat, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. As much as she appreciated what Arin had done for her, she couldn't help but feel as if they were being babysat. It would have been just as easy to hail a taxi. From what she saw while zooming down the freeway at top speeds, there were more than enough to go around. 

After what felt like an hour of driving, they came to a stop just outside a tower. Delta and Truckee peered out the same window, their eyes tracing the exterior of the building. “Are you sure we're in the right place?” Truckee questioned, her eyes flicking toward their escort. “This looks like a...a...business building or something.”

“This is the Four Seasons Hotel,” he explained as he exited the car. The duo copied his movements, following him to the back of the vehicle to grab for their suitcases from the trunk. “Popular all year round and one of the most elegant choices in all of Austin.”

Delta, standing on the sidewalk with her mouth agape at the sheer beauty of the place, watched as he grabbed the suitcases in each hand and jutted his chin toward the twin glass doors. How was this happening? She'd never stayed at such a fancy hotel before, and yet here she was, living the dream. The nausea hadn't subsided in the least. If anything, it had intensified since stepping off the plane. They had an escort and reservations at one of the best hotels Austin could offer – all charges completely taken care of by...Who was it again?

She tried to recall the events leading to this as she, Truckee, and their sidekick headed for the concierge desk. There had been a call extremely early in the morning from someone named Rick or Rich or Ryan. She had been so exhausted from streaming the night before that most of the conversation escaped her. He'd introduced himself as one of the managing heads of NeonCon, thanked her for accepting the offer to appear at the convention, and assured her that no money would be coming out of her pocket during this trip. 

“All expenses paid,” he had said. He had a voice like velvet. “That is, unless you decide to explore the vendors. Then I can't promise you that you won't walk away broke.”

Delta had found that hard to believe. For the first time in her life, she had more money than she knew what to do with. 

They parted ways with the escort once they reached the room. After thanking him extensively, Truckee slipped him a hundred dollar bill and nearly broke the door down trying to get in. Sighing at her friend's impatience, Delta slid the card key into the slot, waited for the light to blink green, and pushed down on the handle. 

“Holy fuck,” they whispered simultaneously.

With a living area separate from the bedroom, a mini bar, and a beautiful view overlooking the busy city, it felt more like an apartment than a deluxe suite. Gorgeous couches and chairs were placed around a glass coffee table in the middle of the room. A clean, fresh scent radiated from the fabrics. The curtains matched the maroon carpet and when Delta rubbed them between her fingers, her mouth once again opened in shock. 

“I don't think dust can exist in a place like this,” she mused as she glanced across the room at Truckee. 

The redhead had already ripped open the tiny packets of complimentary gourmet coffee grounds and turned on the coffee pot. Delta didn't blame her; they'd woken up before the sun had even had the chance to peek over the mountains. She knew they were both overdue for a nap, but the excitement of the day ahead of them kept her wired and ready to go. 

“How long do we have before we have to be at the convention?” Truckee questioned, adding four packets of sugar to the bottom of her Styrofoam cup. 

Delta checked her phone. The time had yet to adjust to the two hour difference; it still read half an hour past one. “Our big reveal thing isn't until six, so we have a couple of hours.” 

She made her way into the bedroom, shaking her head at the overall opulent comfort that it held. A single king-sized bed took up most of the space. On the opposite wall, a rustic vanity sat proudly. Delta took a moment to study herself in the oval mirror. She was definitely underdressed to be in a place like this, which made her understand why the front desk concierge had given her an odd look when he looked up which room they would be staying in. 

Three knocks echoed throughout the suite. “Housekeeping!” came a muffled voice from the other side of the front door. 

Delta heard Truckee mutter to herself, “Already?” The latches unlocked and two high-pitched shrieks filled the expansive space. Delta's body jolted and, assuming they were being robbed, tore around the corner to see what was going on.

Halfway in the room, Truckee and Suzy embraced each other, the piercing noise lingering for much longer than it should have. Behind them stood a thin brunette man Delta had never seen before in person, but recognized from some of the Grump Out videos. Suzy's eyes opened after she lifted her face from the crook of Truckee's neck and rested on Delta. In a flash, they were on each other, both in a fit of giggles and odd noises of their own. 

“Oh my God! It's been so long!” Suzy nearly yelled just before the hug ended. “I'm so glad you're here!”

“It's all thanks to your husband!” Delta replied, her cheeks aching from the massive grin that refused to shrink. “Seriously, I know I've said this at least four thousand times, but thank you. You guys are the reason why we're here.”

A loud throat clear broke Delta's attention away from Suzy. The brunette stood in the doorway, his brows raised expectantly. “Oh, shit, I'm sorry,” Suzy said with another laugh. “Eon, Echo, this is--”

“Ross!” Truckee interrupted, yanking him into her arms. “Of course I know who you are!” 

Delta's first thought was to give Truckee a slight scolding for touching Ross like that. He didn't know either of them and she sometimes had a habit of invading personal space. Instead of cringing away from her, however, Ross wrapped his own arms around her, mimicking the sounds the women had made. 

“It's nice to finally fucking meet you guys!” he announced as he grabbed onto Delta's arm and pulled her into the hug. “It's complete bullshit that everyone else got to meet you before I did! I'm important too!”

Their social high had calmed a few moments later when Suzy's eyes trailed up and down both women. Her lips pressed into a thin line, she placed her hands on her hips and let out a soft, “Hmm. You guys look like you just woke up.”

With a nervous chuckle, Truckee shrugged and patted her palms on her jeans. “We sort of did,” she admitted. “I don't know about you, Echo, but I'm still half asleep. If it hadn't been for that lady on the plane, I would've napped the entire flight.”

Both Ross and Suzy flashed a curious glance toward Delta, who gave a shrug of her own. “Long story. Are you guys headed over to the con right now?” 

“We're actually here to pick you two up. Once you're ready, that is.” Suzy turned to Delta, the familiar sly smirk apparent. “But Dan wants us to hurry up.”

Even with all the exhilaration of the new city and meeting Ross, Delta hadn't allowed Dan to escape her mind. She had been meaning to text him, but everything was happening so quickly that she hadn't had the chance. Giving a small nod, Delta said, “Well, forget the fans. We'd better not keep Dan waiting.”

In an hour, Delta and Truckee were showered, dressed more appropriately, and dolled up with Suzy's help. For the most part, Truckee had taken care of her own makeup, stating that she knew exactly which shade to make her eyes really pop. Delta, however, found herself sitting on the bathroom sink while Suzy's nimble fingers worked their magic. It hadn't been anything too dramatic. At least, it seemed that way. But when Delta reviewed herself in the mirror, her heart pattered. Her eyes had never seemed so bright before.

“Just something simple,” Suzy had explained as she stood next to Delta, surveying her handy work through the mirror. “We'll save the real stuff for when you visit us.”

It didn't take very long for Ross to drive to the convention center in the snazzy rental car he'd gotten. He avoided the crowded parking lot and pulled into a separate, roped off area. After flashing a laminated badge toward a security guard who waved him on, he finally stopped the vehicle in what appeared to be a massive garage filled with other cars. 

Delta and Truckee followed the Grumps into a back entrance, where they were stopped once again. A man who seemed to be an exact replica of the guard from before stared them down until Ross announced, “Eon and Echo from Eon Echo Gaming. They need to be checked in and given badges.” 

As their pictures were taken and ran through a computer, Delta's mind wandered. She'd always thought behind the scenes, it would be just as popular and crazy as the convention itself. Instead, a calm sensation settled over the room. It wasn't a very large space by any means. It reminded her of the dressing rooms of her high school theater. With couches and mismatched chairs lining the walls, a few windows scattered above them, and a vending machine nestled in the corner, it definitely seemed like a place to go to get away from everything. 

“How does it feel to be here?” Suzy whispered, keeping her voice as low as the surrounding buzz of voices. “Usually the back rooms aren't this tiny, but they aren't all the same, I guess.”

Hooking her colorful NeonCon lanyard around her neck, Delta inhaled sharply. “Well,” she muttered, glancing at the picture on her badge, “it's still surreal. Especially this.” Just above the word “Echo” was her beaming face. It was the first time in a long time she didn't have to force a smile for a camera. 

“It was a little short notice, huh?”

“Just a little.”

Curling her arm around Delta's, Suzy nudged her toward a set of metal double doors. “Okay, let's see.” Suzy reached into her purse with her free hand, revealing a itinerary for the entire weekend of the convention. She unfolded it and held it to Delta's face, poking at a set of words. “You and Eon have a live gaming to do in about two hours,” she explained. 

Delta, bewildered and anxious, took the piece of paper from Suzy and squinted at it. “We do?” she questioned. “Who even set all this up? Eon and I have like, four things to do just today.” 

“Eon set it up. Trust me, she had a ton more suggestions. Barry convinced her to narrow it down so you two don't get worn out because things like this will exhaust you faster than you know.”

And just like that, Delta was thrown into her very first convention – one that she was actually important enough to stand out in. Suzy and Ross broke off from her and Truckee, advising them to enjoy what the vendors had to offer before Eon Echo Gaming would make their debut during the live play. After that, they would belong to the fans. 

She had never been somewhere with so many people with the same interests all in one place before. Every where she looked, there was someone gasping over a piece of merchandise, or hugging another person they'd never met before. Flashes of cameras went off in seemingly every direction. It warmed Delta's heart, making her realize that loving video games as much as she did didn't make her an oddball after all. 

These were her people, she realized. And the last thing she ever wanted to do was leave. 

For an hour, she and Truckee ventured through the vendors section, fawning over cute trinkets and beautiful fan art. Every so often, a fan would stop them for a picture and squealed in delight when the two assured that there would be no charge for the opportunity. They weren't there to make money, after all. 

Delta's phone buzzed wildly in her pocket just as she finished paying for a caricature of her and Truckee. Dan's name appeared on her screen, so she wasted no time answering it. 

“Dan?!” she practically yelled into the phone. It was hard to hear over the crowds around her. 

“Turn around!”

Delta did as she was told, whipping her head back toward the main door of the convention center. Above all the heads, a curly afro stood out as it advanced toward her. Then, as he did back at the meet-and-greet at GameStop all those months ago, Dan parted the sea of people. 

Without bothering to hang up the phone, Delta's body moved. Before she could think what she was doing through, she took off toward him, jumping into a hug once she was close enough. Dan, with his phone in one hand, snaked his arms around her, lifting her from the ground a few feet to bury his face into the crook of her neck. 

At first, Delta mentally slapped herself. Why did she do that? Was she trying to make it known to the entire world that she had feelings for him? She knew she'd just embarrassed herself enough for the both of them. But when Dan only squeezed her tighter, drawing her closer in, she doubted the embarrassment. In that moment, it felt as if it was just the two of them.

She shut her eyes, taking in his scent and the heat radiating from his body. It was like coming home after a year in a different country. 

“You look amazing!” Dan exclaimed once he placed her back on the ground. His cheeks had been kissed with a light blush. 

Delta's own face turned hot. God, he flustered her. “Thanks,” she murmured, resisting the urge to run her hand through her wavy hair. Suzy had spent so much time perfecting every strand that she didn't want to make a mess of it. “You look amazing, too! Remind me to buy one of those Game Grumps shirts when all this is over!” Her eyes traced the way the shirt stuck to his body, lingering for just a moment over his abdomen. 

The world crashed back to reality around them. Truckee's body slammed into Dan, nearly knocking him off his feet. “Hi, Dan!” she hollered. Her arms latched around his frame as the two shared a very Suzy-like embrace, complete with the thrilled shrieks. 

“Eon! Hi! How are you?!”

The distraction gave Delta the chance to take notice of all the faces around them, watching as if the trio were animals in captivity. Phones and cameras of all varieties were lifted, pointed at them. At first, it startled Delta – she'd nearly forgotten where exactly she was, and _who_ she was, for that matter. She was a celebrity to these people. 

Just as she gathered her breath and courage to talk to some of them, Truckee pulled her back toward her and Dan. “So, hey, I'm going to go find Barry,” she confessed. Delta eyed her skeptically. “Dan is going to show you around. Have fun!” Using Delta's moment of confusion to her advantage, Truckee turned sharply and disappeared into the crowd behind them, ignoring the calls for her attention along the way. 

Delta, mouth ajar, watched a few of the people follow after her. The sound of Dan chuckling as if things like were an every day occurrence brought her back. “She thinks she's sneaky, doesn't she?” he teased, winking. “Anyway” – he offered his arm to Delta, bending it at the elbow – “you seem a tad parched, m'lady. Shall I escort you to the nearest watering hole?”

Knowing better than to hesitate, Delta wrapped her arm around his, shuddering at his usage of “escort.” Images of the bald man with the snake tattoo, his flat expressions, flashed through her mind. “Ugh, don't say escort.” 

Another laugh. “I take it you had tons of fun with Terrance?” 

“Who's Terrance?” 

“Oh, my dearest Delta. Were you born this adorable or did you work for it?”

(~)

As it turned out, “parched” was an understatement. The more Delta thought on it, the dryer her mouth felt. Luckily, they stumbled upon a sponsored vendor selling water bottles, Monsters, and a variety of sodas. After turning down the offers from the fans to take their place in line, Delta and Dan stood at the back, lost in their own conversation.

“I guess I'm more thirsty than I thought,” Delta confessed, rubbing her tongue along the roof of her mouth. 

Ignoring the gathering group of women of all ages to his left, Dan cracked a smile, his brows lifting. “You talk a shit ton at things like this. I've already gone through four bottles of water today.”

During the months of his absence, Delta had nearly forgotten how comforting his presence was. The days leading up to the convention had given her the worst perturbation and sleepless nights. Although she was ecstatic, she was also filled with a certain sort of underlying dread. What if everything went wrong? What if she tripped in front of a crowd? What if she slipped up and revealed her real name? She was fully aware that her fears were irrational, yet she still fretted over them. 

Standing next to Dan, so close that their fingers brushed against each other every time they moved, cast away her worries. It was as if Delta didn't have a care in the world. Even as fans asked for his autograph or pulled him away for just a moment for a photo, she felt at ease. 

“I think I've aged five years standing in this line,” Delta joked, scanning the amount of people still remaining in front of them. Sure, there were other vendors, but they had already committed themselves to this one and shared the concrete idea that they were not going to give up their place in line. 

“Same,” said Dan with a nod of agreement. “I've become an old man filled with regret, waiting to die alone.”

Delta covered her mouth with her palm to suppress a giggle. “I'm not sure which impressed me more: the _Inception_ quote or that it came to your mind so quickly.”

Dan rested his arm across the back of her shoulders, pulling her into another hug. “So, you're admitting that I impress you?”

Indifferent to the fact that pictures were being taken of them from all directions, Delta melted in his embrace. “Maybe just a little,” she purred, nudging her cheek against his chest. 

What had gotten into her? Delta didn't purr for anybody. Well, there had been that one time with one of her random flings, but just that one time!

Dan was different, though. Just touching him brought out a side of her that had been buried long ago – a side that was annoyingly affectionate and dreamy and...scared? Flings were one thing. Falling for someone was a category all its own, and Delta was terrified. 

It wasn't that he wouldn't return her feelings. He'd admitted to being attracted to her. Nibbling on the inside of her cheek, Delta shut her eyes against him and threw herself into an internal debate. 

She could question him about that video now – get an answer directly from him. Would it get the ball rolling between them? Where would things go from there?

As quickly as that idea popped into her mind, Delta turned her back to it. She couldn't do it now while they were in this line in front of all these people. What if it was more complicated than she realized? It would certainly make for one of the most awkward waits for bottled water in history. Maybe. 

Still, she was curious, dying to hear it in person. So, against her better judgment, Delta counted down from three in her mind and opened her mouth. “Dan, I need to ask you something.”

“Go ahead. I'm an open book.” Was he really? “Well, for the most part.” That was more like it. 

“Well, a few weeks ago--”

“Echo?”

Delta's body froze, her blood turning to ice. She knew that voice. That awful, irritating, nails-on-chalkboard voice. 

She peeled herself from Dan as they both turned toward the sourse of it. There he stood in stark contrast against the thousands of other people in the room with them, sporting an Eon Echo Gaming shirt, with his phone in one hand and an unopened bottle of water in the other. He broad smile split with words. 

“I got you some water.”

With a chill running up her spine, Delta swallowed the lump in her throat. How did he find her?

“Lucas, what are you doing here?”

Lucas' smile didn't falter. 

“I came here for you, Echo.”


	14. The Beauty of Landing

Delta wasn't sure if she was angry or just sick to her stomach. Of all the places in the entire world, Lucas had to follow her here, where she had to keep up appearances and not lash out for the sake of Eon Echo Gaming. She forced out the breath she'd been holding in and allowed words to follow suit. 

“Oh, uh, thank you for the thought,” she managed to say as her eyes lingered on the water bottle in Lucas' grasp. She purposefully skipped over the fact that he had traveled halfway across the country for her. That was a conversation she planned on having with him later in private, but definitely not alone. “I don't want you to have to spend money on me, though. I can buy my own.”

Lucas, it seemed, was bothered by her answer. His eyed flashed to Dan, traced his figure, then returned to Delta. “I bought it just for you,” he persisted, holding the bottle toward her. 

Hundreds of outcomes flashed through Delta's mind. She could just take the bottle and hope it would be enough for him to leave her alone, or she could deny him and tell him to screw off. The latter seemed more appealing to her, but she knew there would end up being consequences. She couldn't afford to have someone bad mouth Eon Echo Gaming over something so petty. 

Just as she reached out to grab it, Dan's left hand tugged lightly on the back of her shirt while his right shot out in front of her. His slender fingers curled around the bottle and with an amiable smile, he said to Lucas, “Hey, man. That's super cool of you. I'll hold it for you, Echo.”

Lucas' jaw tightened, his hands balling into fists. “Dan, actually, I'm glad you're here,” he murmured through gritted teeth. “Could you get a picture of Echo and I?”

Delta's skin crawled. As much as she wanted to find some way to escape this request, she figured it would be the only way to get him off her back. Lucas held his phone out for Dan, who reluctantly grabbed for it and placed the water bottle under his arm, and scurried next to Delta. She forced a grin onto her face and hoped the awkwardness she felt wouldn't show through in her expression. Lucas curled his arm around her waist, rested his hand on her hip, and let out a content sigh. 

“See, Echo? Doesn't this feel just right?”

There was a flash from the phone. Delta immediately broke away from his grasp and returned to Dan's side. “All right, Lucas,” she said quickly. “I've got to go. I-I have a...” Shit, she couldn't remember what she had to do. 

“Live Halo gaming,” Dan hissed just low enough for her to hear. 

“A live Halo gaming to do! Come check me out? I promise not to disappoint.”

Fortunately, Lucas took the bait. He cast a wink her way and said just before disappearing into the crowd at his right, “I'll be there. Just remember that I take promises seriously.”

Once he was gone, Delta pushed out a breath of relief. “God, what a freak,” she muttered. 

Dan nodded, his onyx eyes scanning the crowds for any sign of her pursuer. “I can't disagree with you on that. I can't believe he found you in all this.”

She couldn't believe it either. In her almost thirty years of being alive, Delta had never had anyone so willing to pay for both a convention ticket and a plane ticket just to show up for her. In a way, it was nice to know that she had such a dedicated fan – if Lucas could be considered that. The possibility that he'd never even watched a session of Eon Echo Gaming existed. He could've just stumbled on her channel, realized they lived in the same town, and developed some sort of obsessive crush on her. 

“You won't need to worry about him,” Dan continued, shaking the water bottle side to side to inspect it. “The water appears to not be poisoned, but let me test it for you first.” A sarcastic smirk on his face, he cracked open the bottle and took the tiniest sip from it before handing it to her. “I think I'm still alive, so it's okay to drink.”

Delta chuckled and took the bottle from him. “Thanks for putting your life on the line there.”

“Anything for you, Delta.”

(~)

Delta's clammy hands trembled as she pulled at the curtain shielding her from the sight of the crowd that had gathered to watch her play Halo. There had to be at least three hundred people around the stage, eagerly awaiting her and Truckee. Her eyes darted to the center of the stage where Richard McCall, the top dog at NeonCon, casually chatted on and on about something Delta couldn't focus on. She was much too set on the TV to his right where she and Truckee would have to sit in front of with one lucky fan.

“This should be so easy for you,” Truckee remarked, placing a hand on Delta's shoulder. “You play in front of way more people than this all the time.”

Turning to face her and Barry, Delta flexed her fingers. They felt painfully rigid from holding the curtain so tightly. “This is different.” She began to fumble with the small microphone attached to the collar of her shirt. She swore that thing weighed a ton. “When I'm playing back at home, I can't see my viewers.”

“Just pretend they aren't there,” suggested Barry as if it wasn't a big deal.

Finally aware that there wasn't anything that anyone could say to make her calm down, Delta changed the subject. “Have either of you heard from Dan? I thought he'd be here by now.”

Truckee and Barry exchanged a distraught glance before shaking their heads. Delta nibbled on the inside of her cheek and checked her phone for the twentieth time. No new messages. No missed called. 

Fan-freaking-fastic.

After she and Dan had torn themselves from Lucas' watchful eye, the fans swarmed. Many wanted pictures with the both of them together, but more often than not, they were pulled apart by people who were either more interested in Game Grumps or in Eon Echo Gaming. Ultimately, they'd gotten separated in the sea of faces and voices. Delta had texted him, but wondered if he even had a free moment to check it. 

Eventually, she had wandered to the area on her itinerary, where it was broadcast that she would be playing Halo against a fan for half an hour. Truckee and Barry had spied her and yanked her toward the back dressing rooms. From there, she met with the staff and half-assed listened to how everything would happen. 

Eon Echo Gaming would be announced, she and Truckee would walk on stage and wave to all the fans, and then they would pick who would come on stage with them. Seemed simple enough, except that the only person she really wanted to watch her play was MIA. 

“He'll be here. Don't worry,” Barry went on, checking his own phone. “Sometimes he just loses track of time and is late to everything.”

Before Delta had the chance to respond, one of the stagehands hustled over and began to adjust her microphone. The girl, a raven-haired loudmouth with dimples and freckles for days, couldn't have been much older than twenty-five. “All right. You have a minute and a half before we go live on the mics, and two minutes before you're on stage,” she said rapidly as she moved on to fidget with Truckee's microphone. “Once Mr. McCall says your names, you'll go and stand next to him.”

“Is Dan Avidan back there?” Delta asked, jutting her chin toward the back door the girl had sprinted out from. 

Arching a brow, the stagehand turned her head to look back at Delta. “Who?” She sighed in annoyance and cut off Delta's squeak of a word. “Sorry, I don't watch these YouTube game things. I just work here. Okay, ladies, you've got one minute until you have to watch what you say.” And with that, she was gone.

Delta felt sick. Not the type of sick caused by nerves. For a split second, she felt as if she was going to faint. Cold sweat beaded her forehead and her neck, tiny spots invaded her vision, and her breath hitched in her throat. Then, before she knew it, her legs were moving and blinding lights were shining down on her. She gazed out into the sea of people, surprised to find only what appeared to be shadows.

Cheers, screams, and claps pierced her ears. Was this really happening? Had it already been a minute and a half? 

The moment she turned to look at Truckee, at the way she giggled in excitement and waved frantically toward the crowd, her body seemed to reset itself. Delta raised her hands in a wave of her own, grinning at the faceless figures before her. Maybe pretending they weren't there wouldn't be so hard after all. 

Richard McCall, a lanky man with a balding head and a wedding band a size too large for his finger, waved them over, a dazzling smile on his face. “Welcome, you two!” he said into his microphone. Although they weren't entirely familiar with him yet, Delta and Truckee both accepted the hug he opened his arms for. “Thanks so much for coming out to play with us!”

“Thanks for having us!” Delta replied, surprised at the confidence that had suddenly appeared in her voice. When she pictured this moment, she imagined her voice to shake and her body to quiver. That wasn't the case at all. “I can't believe how many people have come out to see us!”

“Yeah! I mean, holy crap!” Truckee added. “Look at the size of this crowd! You guys are so great!” 

The shadows roared in another set of cheers and applause. Goosebumps rose on Delta's arms. This was really happening. 

“As most everyone knows, Echo here is pretty famous for her Halo game plays,” Richard said, motioning a hand toward Delta. “So, we're going to turn on those lights and let her pick one of you to come up and play with her!”

Even when the shadows became actual, living people, Delta remained calm. Hands flew into the air as they desperately tried to catch her attention. Unfortunately, only one person did. 

Lucas seemed to stick out in stark contrast. Probably because he was the one person Delta absolutely did not want to see. He smiled at her as if he knew her, forcing a shiver to run up her spine. For a brief moment, they made eye contact. 

“Pick me,” his eyes seemed to say. “Pick me so I can put my hands on you again.”

“How about you?” Delta called out, lifting her finger in a point. “Yeah, you! Come on up here!”

Richard met the tiny girl at the edge of the stage and extended a hand to help her up the stairs. With fiery hair much like Truckee's and bright blue eyes, the girl seemed to be a much better – and safer – choice than Lucas, who looked bitter as all hell that he hadn't been picked. 

“What's your name, miss?” Richard asked as one of the stagehands rushed onstage to hook a microphone to the girl's shirt. 

“A-Amara,” she stammered, her eyes locked on Delta and Truckee. 

Amara wore an Eon Echo Gaming shirt, one that Truckee and Barry worked together to design. Delta's heart warmed at the sight of it. It was one thing to see it on Lucas, but seeing it on a girl she'd never met before was something even more amazing. 

She looked horrified, Delta noticed. 

“Thanks for coming up to play with me, Amara,” she said gingerly as she took two strides to stand in front of her. Once she was close enough, she opened her arms for a hug like Richard had. Amara didn't hesitate to return it. She felt very thin and frail, and was on the shorter side. She must've been a high schooler. 

Two more stagehands appeared with chairs. They placed them in front of the TV, nodded toward Richard, and skittered back behind the curtains. 

Everything seemed to be moving too quickly to keep up with. In only a few moments, Delta and Truckee were seated on both sides of Amara. “Honestly, I think you're going to beat me,” Delta admitted as she leaned toward Amara. “I haven't played in a few days, so I'm a little rusty.”

Although Delta meant it mostly as a joke, it came true. Amara was good. Delta-level good, at it threw her off. It also didn't help that Delta was still slightly distracted by the lack of communication from Dan. Surely he would have tried to reach out by now.

They played one-on-one in the Blood Gultch map. It was Delta's favorite map and the one she kicked the most ass in. Having played in it at least once a week since the game first came out, she'd long ago memorized every nook and cranny of the place. Still, Amara had the upper hand. 

“I think you jinxed yourself,” Truckee commented once Amara had killed Delta three times. 

The crowd seemed to agree in a series of murmurs. Delta's stomach twisted. She could brush it off, she reminded herself. After all, it was just a game. But it was Delta's game – the game that got her to where she was. She was supposed to be the best at it. She was the best at it.

After another kill, Delta placed the controller in her lap and exhaled a long breath. Amara turned her head to glance at her opponent. “So-Sorry,” she muttered almost too softly for her mic to pick up. “Am I supposed to lose?”

It took Delta a moment to realize that it was a serious question. Appalled, she looked down toward Amara and her deer-in-headlights stare. “Of course not,” she replied. For a split second, she forgot her voice would bounce off the walls. “You're amazing at this game, Amara. How long have you been playing it?”

“A few months.”

A few months. Damn, this girl was dedicated. 

At five kills, Richard emerged from the back of the stage, a fresh coffee stain on his shirt. It was probably much too small for the crowd to see. “All right, everyone!” he boomed. “We're going to take a five minute break and then bring these three back out for another round!”

Delta and Amara stood immediately and waited for Truckee to finish stretching. Once they were offstage and away from the countless calls from fans, they shared a sigh of relief. Truckee turned to Amara and gave a supportive thumbs-up. 

“That was awesome, you guys!” she said when she got the okay that the mics were off from one of the staff members. “It was so intense! You were both so invested in that!”

“W-Well, I just really love Halo,” Amara confessed, twisting the bottom of her shirt. “I actually started playing because of you, Echo.”

Delta hadn't been paying much attention to the two before this; her mind and gaze were locked on her phone. Still no new messages. But once she heard her name, her eyes flicked up to meet Amara's. “Is that so?” she replied. “How come?”

Amara's dainty fingers curled around her hair. “I went through a lot of crap not too long ago,” she squeaked out, avoiding Delta's intrigued stare. “My dad left, my boyfriend had broken up with me the same day, I was failing school, and I just wanted everything to stop. And then I found Eon Echo Gaming and told myself that I couldn't make everything stop just yet because I had to watch you play every week. So, I started playing Halo, too, because I really want to be like you when I'm older.”

Silence settled over them. Truckee turned to Delta as if to urge her to say something – to say anything, but Delta couldn't find the words. Mouth slightly open, she continued to look at Amara as if she were some sort of deity. She couldn't process it. Her channel – something that had started out as just her and Truckee hanging out together on the weekends – saved this girl's life. It both amazed and terrified Delta, and she couldn't figure out why. Rooster Teeth had done the same for her all those years ago, so why was it such a foreign idea that she did it for someone else?

In a swift motion, Delta embraced Amara, her eyes brimming with tears. She hurried to blink them away and muttered, “I'm glad you stuck around, and I'm glad you're here.” 

A stagehand lifted two fingers, letting them know how many minutes they had until they would be back onstage. Truckee replaced Delta in the hug once she stepped away. At the same time, her phone began to vibrate in her pocket. 

“Dan?” she said as she answered. “Where are you?”

Wherever Dan was was noisy. She strained to hear him. “Delta! Holy shit, I'm so sorry! I've been trapped in a never ending cycle of signing posters! I'm on my way!” He didn't give her a chance to answer before hanging up.

And just like that, the trio was back in their seats, controllers in hand. Truckee took on the role of the neutral cheerleader, shouting positive things for both Delta and Amara. It was a stalemate at first; neither of them were killing the other. For ten minutes, they blasted away at each other and attempted to unload bullets into different body parts, but they narrowly escaped each death just in time. 

There was a harsh whisper to Delta's left. She waited until she was in a safe spot to glance over, spying Dan's beaming face and waving hands in the dim light of the stage right area. Her heart slammed against her chest, her mouth parted in a gleeful grin, and the grenade she'd thrown at Amara exploded, killing her opponent in the process. 

The crowd cheered, Dan cheered, and Truckee cheered. 

“ _And then I found Eon Echo Gaming and told myself that I couldn't make everything stop just yet because I had to watch you play every week._ ”

Suddenly, winning didn't matter to Delta. She was where she'd wanted to be, with who she wanted to be with. 

Amara won in the end.


	15. The Fire of Our Skin

“Do they usually do this at conventions?”

“No, this is something completely new to me. Look up.”

Delta did as she was told and allowed Suzy to apply mascara to her eyelashes for the second time that day. She lifted her gaze to the ceiling, trying her hardest not to blink. Instead, she obsessively rubbed the edge of the dress she was borrowing for this dinner. 

After the live Halo play, Richard McCall had practically shoved people out of the way to get to Delta and Truckee. He'd invited them to a dinner he was hosting, urged them to come, and advised them to dress in their most elegant attire. “Game Grumps and Eon Echo Gaming will be the only big gaming groups that will attend,” he'd informed them before they had even the chance to decide if they were going. “But there will be a dozen other people there that you'll want to impress, especially since you're still climbing the ladder to success.”

Truckee was always prepared for things like this. She'd been delighted to have a reason to wear the gorgeous black sheath dress she had bought with her first paycheck. “I knew it would come in handy during this trip!” she had exclaimed joyfully. “See, Del? My hunches are right sometimes!”

Delta, on the other hand, was never prepared for things like this. Sweatshirts, band and gaming tees, and a pair of faded Converse took up all the space in hr suitcase. As she had let out a defeated sigh, Suzy came to her rescue. 

“I always pack way more than I need,” Suzy had admitted as she handed over a navy blue short sleeve mini dress. “I think we're about the same size, so I hope it fits.”

The dress fit Delta perfectly, from the way it hugged her waist to the way the collar cut downward just to the peak of her cleavage. She'd gawked at herself for what felt like hours after first putting it on. Truckee and Suzy shared nearly the same reaction. 

“When you get married, you're wearing that dress. I don't care if it's not white. You don't get a choice.”

“And just when I thought you couldn't look any more blonde.”

Not that Delta had ever considered marriage, or getting married in a dress like this, but now that the idea was in her head, she could picture it clear as day. With the right person, that is. 

“What do you think Richard is going to talk about?” Delta questioned as Suzy kissed her cheeks with a blush brush. “If he even talks, I mean. What do people do at fancy dinners?”

“Usually eat,” murmured Suzy, her eyes burning into the fine details of Delta's skin. “Drink wine, make small talk. I've only ever been to a few things like this and they were all different in their own ways. Oh, and Brian is coming, too.”

Delta's eyes flashed to meet Suzy's. “Brian?” She'd nearly forgotten about him. Dan had mentioned his partner in crime was arriving to the convention later than the rest, and that he was deadset on meeting Delta. Apparently, Dan had accidentally talked her up so much that he was almost insulted he hadn't met her yet. 

“You seem nervous. Look up again.”

“I am.” Through her peripheral, Delta spied Truckee pacing back and forth in the bedroom, her phone lodged between her shoulder and her ear as she pressed temporary nails onto her fingertips. “I was nervous when I met the rest of you guys, too.”

“There's absolutely nothing to be worried about,” Suzy assured her, taking a step back to survey her work. “Brian is as harmless as the rest of us. He's just smarter.”

“And a really good friend of Dan's.”

“So?”

As awkward as it was to admit, Delta felt as if she needed to get it off her chest. She stood from the chair she'd been perched in for the last hour and glanced at herself in the mirror. As always, Suzy had made her look like a brand new version of herself. Beautiful. More confident. 

“I just want to make a good impression because of it,” she said. 

Suzy smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “You really like Dan, don't you?”

“I--”

A knock at the door cut Delta short. Truckee hung up her phone, tossed it onto one of the chairs, and rushed to open it. “Holy crap!” she shouted. “You guys look awesome!”

And just like that, bodies filed into the room. Arin took the lead, hurrying to plant a kiss on Suzy's head and admire her. Barry headed for Truckee and although he didn't quite kiss her, he did wrap an arm around her waist, his face alight. Dan and Ross entered at the same time, lost in a conversation of their own. 

A breath hitched in Delta's throat. She'd always been attracted to men who could pull off a suit well, and Dan fit that category perfectly. He sported a black suit, which hugged his body very complimentary, and a crimson tie. His glasses framed his eyes, which only caused Delta's heart rate to skyrocket. 

Dan, it seemed, was just as amazed by Delta. He came to a halt as Ross continued to chatter away about whatever they were talking about beforehand, his eyes glued to her. For a moment, they stared each other down, both too shocked to say anything. 

“Doesn't she look great?” Suzy chirped, placing her hand on the small of Delta's back. 

“Yeah,” Dan breathed, the dumbfounded look on his face replaced by a grin of excitement. “God, Echo, you look...Holy shit, you look gorgeous.”

Delta exhaled sharply, forcing out the breath she'd been holding since she first laid her eyes on him. Just as she was about to say a word of thanks, Suzy gave a not so gentle push, forcing her into Dan's chest. He staggered at first, but caught her with ease and laughed. 

“Subtle, Suzy,” he remarked, wrapping an arm around Delta's shoulders. “Real subtle.”

“Are we going to get a move on or are we going to stand around and stare at each other?” Arin demanded to know, his voice booming over the hum of casual conversation coming from Truckee and Barry. “Because I'm starving!”

It took two rental cars to get the group to the restaurant. Ross, Suzy, and Arin took one car while Barry, Truckee, Dan, and Delta shoved into the other. Dan drove, which automatically granted Delta the passenger seat. She kept her hands clasped in her lap and her eyes on the road in front of them as he weaved in and out of lanes. 

“This is so much better than LA traffic,” he commented. “I haven't cussed once.”

“Well, we're only driving a few blocks away from the hotel,” Barry added from the backseat. 

The car came to a stop outside a crowded red bricked building. With an Italian name illuminated with a neon sign underneath a velvet porte-cochere, the exterior vaguely reminded Delta of the nightclubs back in Reno. Although there wasn't quite a line leading from the entrance, she could see countless heads gathered in the foyer. 

“He had to pick the most popular place in Austin to hold this thing, didn't he?” Delta mildly complained as she slipped from the seat of the car. 

“Shall we incorporate the buddy system?” Dan asked as he made his way to her, holding out an arm. She took it and gave him a curious look. “I'll be your buddy so we don't get lost. We just have to keep holding arms or hands or whatever, like back when we were little.”

Delta was more than okay with hands. For the sake of the buddy system, of course. 

Richard met them in the foyer just as the hostess opened her mouth to ask if they were joining a party. “There they are!” he called out over the buzz of surrounding voices. Much to Delta's dismay, Dan untangled his arm from hers to grasp Richard's hand in a gentlemanly shake. “I'm so happy you all managed to make it.” He gave Delta a soft hug before moving to Barry. “Everyone else is already inside. We've got your seats reserved!”

As they maneuvered through the restaurant, narrowly missing collisions with waiters and waitresses, Dan kept a close pace next to Delta. He rested his hand on her back as if to remind her that he was still there. It relieved her immensely. It seemed as though all the patrons were lost in meetings of their own: business planners and tablets decorated the tables alongside plates of half eaten food. Nobody glanced up as the group passed by. 

Delta was more than grateful for the attire Suzy picked out for her; everyone dressed their best to come to this place. 

“This is intimidating,” Delta said as she turned her head toward Dan. 

He simply smiled at her. “Why do you say that?”

“Everyone here looks so important.”

Taking a moment to scan the faces, Dan nodded. “They probably are, but so are you.”

“Oh, yeah.” How could she have forgotten?

Richard brought them to a section of the restaurant that felt like another building entirely. It was more of a small ballroom than anything else, littered with over sized tables. Unlike the area they'd just walked through, the main source of light came from actual chandeliers instead of candles on every table. The chairs still resembled thrones, which excited Delta. It would be an upgrade from her worn and torn desk chair. 

A gigantic glass table occupied the middle of the room, surrounded by at least twenty people. Delta didn't recognize most of them and it only made her feel all the more anxious. A petite hand raised above all the heads, and Delta huffed with relief at the familiar sight of Suzy's face. 

They took their seats. With Truckee on her left and Dan on her right, Delta decided this was the closest to comfortable that she was going to get. She surveyed the other people at the table. None of them looked a day over thirty-five and all of them were focused on the two gaming groups at the end of the table. 

“Wine, miss?” came a voice from behind Delta. She jolted in surprise, earning herself an apologetic stare from the waiter behind her. “Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to startle you.”

Delta shook her head and eyed the bottle of red wine he held. “Don't worry about it. I'll have a glass. Thank you.”

The wine tasted better than she expected. Bitter at first, it left a sweet tang on the back of her tongue. She took another sip. 

“Pssst. Hey. Dickwad.”

Delta's gaze lifted from her glass and settled on a man across the table. Instantly, she knew he was Brian. Dan had haphazardly sent her embarrassing pictures of him when he was bored. 

Dan lifted a hand, attempting to hide it behind a water glass as he flashed his middle finger. Delta began to giggle, but stopped herself short when Brian focused on her. 

“Oh, hey! You're Echo!” he announced just loud enough for their side of the table to hear. “You were right, Dan. She's even more beautiful in person.”

Dan and Delta both flushed. It shouldn't have flustered her as much as it did; she knew he had feelings for her. Hell, his left hand had been creeping toward hers underneath the table the whole time they had been sitting down. 

“I'm going to cut you,” Dan threatened with a playful grin once he had gathered himself. Brian cast a wink his way as Richard called everyone's attention from the head of the table. 

Every pair of eyes settled on his thin frame. “Thank you all for coming!” he boomed proudly. “I wanted to bring you all together because you are all incredibly talented in what you do.”

Delta's eyes strayed when she realized he was talking to those who weren't part of Eon Echo Gaming or Game Grumps. She grabbed for her wine again and leaned back, gasping softly when her shoulder touched Dan's arm. When did he slide that on the back of her chair?

“Sorry,” she whispered, glancing sideways at him. 

“You're fine, sweetheart.”

There is was again: that strange melting feeling that took over Delta's body, consuming her in a way that threw her onto cloud nine and left her craving. Craving a single word. 

No, it was more than that. To say that she craved the word was an understatement. It was Dan she craved. She yearned for him – lusted after him, even. She wanted to taste his words, to pull him in close and wrap herself around him. 

Shutting her eyes tightly, Delta drew in a deep breath and filled her mouth with more wine. 

“...to mingle with each other. Get personal, guys,” Richard went on. This caught Delta's attention, and not in a good way. “If you all work together, I'm sure you can create a masterpiece.”

She leaned closer to Truckee, spied the hand holding between her and Barry, and murmured, “I have no idea what's going on.”

Truckee, after taking a drink of her own wine, replied, “Richard wants us to meet vendors and give them inspiration to create. The guy is sort of nutso.”

Even if the others at the table shared Truckee's thought, they played along with what Richard so vehemently suggested. After ordering their food (as she always did when she was in a new restaurant and couldn't decide, Delta ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo), conversations sparked in every direction. All the while, Richard remained at the head of the table contently, like a mother watching her children walk for the first time. 

“So, how did Eon Echo Gaming start?”

Delta fidgeted with her cloth napkin as she and Truckee pulled their attention to a girl who had sat next to Brian. She seemed somewhat familiar and it took Delta a few moments of awkward staring to realize she had bought a keychain from her vendor stall earlier that day.

“Um, well...” Delta reached for her wine glass, trying her hardest to ignore Dan's conversation with a female interviewer of his own. “It was just a weekend thing for a little while.”

Truckee must have known the wine was beginning to hit Delta. She took control of the topic as quickly as she could. “Echo and I weren't all that popular in high school,” she explained. 

“Hey, you don't have to bring _that_ fact up--”

“Shhh. Anyway, as I was saying, a lot of people either looked right through us or picked on us for our names or Echo's eyes. We met during our sophomore year in our shitty math class and when we found out that we both loved video games, we would spend every weekend together. Echo eventually found Rooster Teeth and that's what led us to start streaming.”

The interviewer nodded and scribbled down a few notes onto a piece of paper that had been stained with a coffee ring. “I've been keeping up with Eon Echo Gaming for a few years now. I wasn't too sure about it at first. A lot of the gaming channels I watched that have a female player are really annoying, but I'm glad you say that you aren't, Echo. Well, you can be irritating at times--”

“How so?” Delta spat before finishing off her second glass of wine. 

“It just seems like you don't take the games seriously half the time.”

Delta raised her brows in astonishment. She didn't even notice the waiter sneak his way in to refill her glass yet again. Before she could respond (or lash out), Truckee inconspicuously nudged her leg. 

“She does take it seriously,” she defended. “Very seriously. Eon Echo Gaming is the most important thing in Echo's life--”

“Besides you,” Delta rushed to say, somewhat hurt that Truckee would think that. “You're my best friend.”

The interviewer shifted her weight uncomfortably and stood up. “I'm going to run to the bathroom and give you two a moment.”

Once she was gone, Truckee turned to Delta, a certain sort of fire flickering in her eyes. “What,” she hissed, “are you doing, Del? You're drunk and you're screwing this up.”

“Do you really think that?”

“Think what? That you're screwing this up? Because yes, I--”

“No, I don't care about that! That Eon Echo Gaming is more important that you.”

Truckee just stared as if Delta had completely thrown her for a loop. Then, her features softened as the corners of her mouth pulled downward into a frown. “No, I don't. I just said it for the sake of this freakin' dinner.”

Delta wrapped her arms delicately around Truckee's neck and pulled her into a side embrace. “Good,” she muttered, their cheeks pressed together. “Because you're my best friend and I love you.”

Chuckling, Truckee returned the hug. “I love you too, beast.”

Their food arrived shortly after, and their interviewer never returned. It didn't bother them too much; Delta had dug into her noodles the moment the waiter placed the plate in front of her, and Truckee ordered a shot of tequila for herself and Barry. Even drunk, Delta could pick up on what she was doing. Tequila always led to good nights for Truckee. 

Speaking of good nights, Delta began to listen in on the conversation between Dan and Brian. Every so often during their meal, Dan would place his arm on the back of her chair again and she would lean into it was if it was a casual thing. Truth be told, it was anything but casual. 

“So, Echo, you're from Reno?” Brian asked the moment Delta had stuffed a forkful of noodles into her mouth. 

She nodded and hurried to swallow before answering. “Mmhm.” She wiped at her mouth with her napkin, praying that her lips and teeth hadn't been stained with wine. “It's miserable.”

“Why do you say that?”

Where should she even start? She sighed, set her fork down, and let her words fly. 

“Well, Nevada is a dry state in general, so Reno is nosebleed city. Prostitution is legal, so it attracts some of the worst kinds of people. Oh, and Reno is really small. Everybody knows everybody.”

A smirk growing on his face, Brian looked to Dan. “I can see what you mean, man. She's great.”

(~)

“Thanks for driving me back to the hotel. Three glasses of wine was a bad idea.”

“It happens to the best of us.”

Delta's head lulled to the left. In the darkness of the car, she only caught glimpses of Dan's face when they passed underneath streetlights. Her hand felt tingly in his. They'd used the buddy system upon leaving the restaurant and neither had let go afterward, except to get in the car. 

After eating, Delta had thrown back her third and final glass of wine, and a shot of whiskey, thanks to Brian. She'd curled her nose at it – the smell was horrid, like nail polish remover – but took it anyway. The last thing she wanted to do was offend him. 

Dan had offered to take her back early, which she happily agreed to. The day felt as if it had dragged on for five years and she was growing tired. 

“I've been listening to a lot of your music lately,” Delta confessed at a red light. 

“That's awesome.” Dan smiled broadly, sending her stomach into a series of flips. “I'm guessing you like it then?”

She nodded shyly. “It helps.”

“Helps with what, sweetheart?”

Okay, Delta thought. He was doing it on purpose now. 

She swallowed hard, a nervous fluttering stubbornly filling her stomach. Maybe it was all the alcohol. Either way, she'd gone this far already. There was no turning back now. 

“Um, when we don't talk for awhile, I start missing you.”

Delta paused, savoring the feel of Dan's thumb rubbing circles on the back of her hand. Why was he making her so skittish now? She'd gotten past that part weeks ago, or so she thought. 

“I miss you too, Delta. All the time, actually.”

The trip to the hotel seemed much shorter than the trip to the restaurant. Before Delta knew it, they were walking through the extensive hallways hand-in-hand. 

“It was 216, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

The card key slid through the lock and Dan pushed open the door. “Call me if you need anything, okay?” he urged as he hesitantly let go of Delta's hand. “And drink a shit ton of water.”

“You're not coming in?” She asked it as if it were a demand. 

Dan looked past her and into the shadows of the room. She could tell he was considering it – he brought his bottom lip between his teeth to nibble on it. He always did that when he was deciding on something. 

“C'mon, Danny,” Delta purred, grabbing for his hands. “I'm not asking you to sleep with me. I just never get any time alone with you. And I miss you, remember?”

“Delta...”

Dan's shoulders slumped. He made his way into the room, kicking the door shut behind him with his heel.

They fumbled against each other in the darkness. Delta couldn't see him but oh God, could she feel him. She could feel the was slender fingers curled around her wrists as he pinned her against the wall and pried his way a spot into the crook of her neck with his chin. His hair tickled her nose, his warm breath against her skin sent her body into a curve against his, and his teeth latching just at her shoulder brought forth an airy, almost pleading moan. 

Her noise pushed Dan further. Delta had always figured him to live up to his soft and gentle demeanor as a lover, but he was intent on shattering that facade. His left hand abandoned her wrist, giving her fingers permission to lace themselves in his mess of hair as his fingertips danced down the side of her dress. 

His head retreated from her neck, quieting her for the time being. As if he were stating the fact that she was his – she'd known it from the start – Dan curled his hand around her ass, cupping it in his own selfish way, and pulled her hips against him. 

Delta _felt_ him. It caught her by surprise at first. It had been a long time since she last felt a man. 

The world ticked to a stop, sucking the two of them along with it. Their faces less than an inch apart, they shared a single breath. Delta was certain that Dan was going to taste the wine, but she doubted he cared. She did, however, wonder why he had paused and why the hell he hadn't kissed her.

“I can't.”

Had he learned to read her mind?

His hands released her and he took a step back just in time for her to huff out a defeated, “What?”

“I can't do this right now, Delta. I'm sorry.”

“Is it Truckee? Because we can leave a sock on the door. She knows that rule.”

Delta almost flinched as Dan formed his hands around the sides of her face. “No, it isn't Truckee,” he said. He sounded so tired. “You're drunk. I can't – I won't do this to you when you're drunk.”

He pressed his lips to her forehead. Delta imagined they were on her own lips instead. 

The rest of the night escaped her mind.


	16. A Certain Type

The rest of the night escaped her mind for the most part, that is. 

Delta woke the next morning with the most god-awful taste on her tongue and the worst headache hammering away at her skull. She groaned, shielding her eyes from the burning sunlight with her pillow, and rolled onto her side to grab for her phone. Instead of the cracked screen, her fingers brushed against a drinking glass. When she pried open her eyelids, she saw a glass of water and two Advil waiting on the nightstand for her. 

“Oh, thank God,” she moaned before tossing the pills down her throat and gulping down every drop of the water. 

It helped to relieve her dehydration, but Delta still felt like utter shit. 

Sitting up, she took a moment to weed through the haze of the night before, focusing on the time after Dan had suffered from a case of willpower. She was still sporting Suzy's dress, so he must not have changed his mind. 

Her memories came in blurs and flashes. Dan had led her to the bed and disappeared. Then he was there again, placing the Advil and water next to the bed, and he was gone. A light on in the next room. A shadowed figure next to the bed, running its hand through its hair, and Dan's voice muttering a rueful, “Fuck.”

And then Delta was alone. 

She sighed and rubbed her throbbing temples with her pointer fingers. It had been a long time since she last woke up with a hangover. She didn't miss them. 

There was a sticky note on the mirror when Delta stumbled her way into the bathroom. Squinting, she read Truckee's chickenscratch. 

_Del -_

_No sock on door. Came in. Grabbed some stuff. Sleeping in Barry's room._

_Love,  
me_

Delta couldn't help but feel a little bitter as she stripped herself of the dress and stepped into the shower. “At least someone got lucky,” she mumbled under her breath. 

The shower helped more than the pills did. After washing off the sweat and germs of the airport, the hundreds of handshakes and hugs, and the countless doorknobs, Delta emerged from the shower feeling as if she were an entirely different person. Different, refreshed, and still mulling over the fact that Dan had backed out of sleeping with her. 

She tried not to take it personally. Dan was the perfect gentleman, after all. It made sense that he wouldn't want to do anything with her while she was drunk. Still, the nagging thought that there was something wrong with _her_ festered in the back of her mind. 

As Delta wrapped her dripping hair into her towel on the top of her head, her phone chirped from the tangle of sheets on the bed. She pulled on a clean pair of underwear and fastened her bra around her chest before venturing out to get it. 

She assumed it was a text from Dan, but it was from Truckee instead. “ _EEG in the clear 4 2day. Free time. how was ur night?_ ” 

Delta chewed on the inside of her cheek as she twiddled out a response. If she were admitting it to anyone else, she'd be embarrassed, but this was Truckee. The redhead had seen her at her absolute worst, which could have been a multitude of occasions. 

“ _Uneventful. I'm hungover as shit. How was yours?_ ”

Truckee's reply came more quickly than Delta could finish getting dressed. “ _it was awesome. tell u bout it later._ ” In all honesty, Delta wasn't sure if she wanted to know all about it. 

Finally ready to face the day at nearly noon, Delta left the hotel room, itinerary in her back pocket, and made her way to the convention. Like the day before, it was insanely crowded. Another wave of vendors lined the walls, new cosplayers posed for pictures, and even more people flocked to Delta for autographs and small talk. 

The diversity of her fans amazed her. Of course there were the groups of high schoolers who were heavily into video games, anime, and comic books – the kind of people she would have considered friends back in her own school days. But there were also middle aged mothers who spent their days chasing around toddlers and waiting for Delta to start streaming, teachers who watched their YouTube channel on their lunch breaks, and closet nerds who would rather die than give away their real life occupation, which led Delta to think they were more important than she could ever be.

Even a trio of mountainous bodybuilders approached Delta like a human wall. She'd almost coward away from them, until they began to beg for a picture. They stood side-by-side, holding Delta horizontally in their beefy arms while she made some silly pose. She felt tiny in comparison. 

The excitement almost made her forget about how crappy she felt and about Dan. That is, until she lifted her phone to check the time and realized he still hadn't texted her. 

Maybe he was just busy. Delta checked the itinerary and compared the time to the events. Dan and Arin's names popped up in multiple spots, including a Q&A in ten minutes. The day seemed to revolve around Game Grumps. 

After stopping by a coffee shop – proudly owned by huge fans of hers who insisted her coffee was free – Delta hustled to the location of the Q&A, surprised to find the line twisting about the extensive hallway like a giant snake. She took her place at the end, anxiously darting her gaze about. If she was lucky, she'd make it in before it started. 

“What are you doing?”

Delta jolted at the voice so close to her ear, almost dropping her coffee. “Barry?” she questioned, genuinely shocked to find him loitering the hall – without Truckee, amazingly. “What are _you_ doing?”

Barry ducked his head slightly and peered toward the set of double doors leading into the Q&A room. His eyes looked huge at this angle. “I was on my way there and then I saw you over here all by your little lonesome.” He grabbed for the convention badge hanging around her neck. “You realize this grants you front of the line powers, right?”

“I knew that.” She really didn't. 

He chuckled, obviously not believing her. “C'mon. You can watch from backstage.”

“I'll watch from the crowd, I think. It's better to see their faces.”

Once inside, the two split. Barry headed toward the backstage area with the help of a security guard and Delta blended in with the crowd, her attention drawn to the two empty chairs on the stage. She curled all her fingers around her coffee cup, surveying the room. It was more of a theatre than anything, minus the audience seats. She imagined it being used for music concerts with NeonCon wasn't around. 

Had Dan performed here before?

The overhead lights dimmed as Richard McCall strolled onto the stage, a broad grin on his face. Cheers erupted all around Delta; she copied the sounds as to not draw attention to herself. 

“Thank you! Thank you all!” Richard said into his microphone once the noise had died down. “Look at this crowd! This is fantastic!”

Everyone around Delta roared again. She wondered if he could even see anyone from up there. 

“I'm not going to waste anymore time blabbing! So, help me bring out two of the sexiest men I've had the pleasure of shaking hands with: Arin Hanson and Dan Avidan!”

The moment the two came out, Delta melted. She watched Dan and the way he looked out into the audience. She let out a heavy breath as he blew kisses. Her left hand reached up and caressed the side of her neck. 

“Holy crap!” Dan exclaimed as he and Arin took their seats. “Look at all these beautiful lovelies!”

Beside Delta, a girl screamed at the top of her lungs, proclaiming her love for him. 

The Q&A took off immediately. At first, the questions that arose were simple: “Are you guys enjoying NeonCon?”

“Hell yeah, we are!”

“This is one of the best conventions we've been to, and it's only the second day!”

Some of the questions were a little more personal. A gutsy woman had asked for Arin's phone number. Dan had responded instantly, playing it cool by commenting that he was a jealous lover and she'd have to ask for his permission. The crowd howled in laughter and the event continued. 

For a moment, Delta considered sneaking out. She could text Dan and inquire about how the Q&A turned out, hoping it would be enough to spark a conversation. And then someone asked a question that forced a breath to hitch in her throat. 

“H-Hi, guys,” a young man asked from across the room. Nervous as all hell, the microphone that the volunteer had given him trembled in his grasp. “I j-just want to say that I'm a huge fan. I-I really love Game G-Grumps. Like, more than anything.”

An identical smile grew on both Arin and Dan's faces. “Thanks, man!” Arin exclaimed. “That's super awesome of you to say!”

“M-My question is for Dan. Um, so in th-these past couple of months, y-you guys have been partnering with Eon E-Echo Gaming on a lot of things. I-I think we've all, um, noticed some of the p-possible chemistry between you and Echo. A-Are you two...y'know, an item?”

Delta's stomach churned and she gripped her coffee so tightly that the cup began to fold inward. With the stage lights beating down on them, the pink tint on Dan's face was hardly noticeable.

“Echo is an amazing person,” Dan started. Delta could hear her heartbeat in her ears. “She's so talented and funny and a blast to hang out with. We're just really good friends. One day, someone is going to be so lucky to call her theirs, but it won't be me. She just...isn't my type.”

Delta didn't move. She didn't breathe. She didn't _think_. 

The crowd let out a disappointed “awww” before someone else was picked for another question. Even Arin, who proved to be a pro at maintaining his appearance onstage, faltered. He turned his head to Dan, his mouth agape and his brows furrowed, and then instantly pulled himself together. Dan, on the other hand, kept his eager and childlike demeanor, as if he hadn't just flipped someone's world upside down. 

Delta took a step backward, her back bumping into someone's chest. Her first thought was to push out some sort of apology, but she couldn't find her voice. Her throat was dry and her stomach was in knots. Keeping her head down, she wiggled her way through the crowd and took a deep breath once she was out of the room. 

“Tough break, Echo.”

Through blurred vision, Delta looked up, instantly regretting her decision to leave. It was as if he had been waiting for her the whole time. 

“Not right now, Lucas.” Where was a security guard when she needed one? “I'm really not in the mood.”

Lucas smirked sardonically and crossed his arms over his chest, probably thinking it made him look bigger. “It sucks when people don't return your feelings, doesn't it?” he asked acidly. “To not be someone's type. Why don't you come back to my room? I can make you feel better about all this.”

Delta shuddered, both at Lucas and at herself, because for a split second, she actually considered it. She always did this: run to the first guy who showed her any sort of affection after something destroyed her. Dan's hands flashed through her mind – the way they felt on her wrists and the way his fingers trailed down her hips, gripping ever so softly, but rough enough to let her in on the secret, “You're not mine. You're not mine, Delta. But right now, in this moment, you're nobody else's.”

She hated to admit it, but it was true. In this situation, at least.

“C'mon,” Lucas purred, or attempted to. “Forget Dan. He obviously doesn't want you. You should've just gone with me from the beginning.”

Oh, the things Delta wanted to say to him – to scream at him. She glowered instead and slammed her half full coffee cup into the trashcan (conveniently) to her left. Without dignifying his comment with a reply, she turned on her heel and started for the hotel room, her phone tightly in her hand to call 911, just in case.

(~)

“Who the fuck decides someone isn't their type the day _after_ they're all over them in a hotel room?!”

Truckee was infuriated.

Once Barry had informed her of what had happened, she stormed to the room to find Delta curled up in the bed, watching Orange is the New Black on her phone. That's when Truckee knew Delta wasn't okay; she only watched that show when she was upset and didn't know what else to do with herself. Any other time, she hated it. 

“I don't know,” Delta murmured, her face partially smothered by a pillow. “I just want to go home.”

Fed up with pacing back and forth between the window and the door, Truckee threw her arms into the air and flopped onto the bed next to Delta. “This is bullshit. He hasn't texted you back?”

“I haven't tried to text him.”

“I wish you'd cry.”

“Why?”

Truckee shrugged, crawled into a more comfortable position against Delta, and grabbed for the phone to pause it. She'd be damned if they were going to talk over Lorna sobbing over her own man troubles. “Because,” she murmured against Delta's shoulder, “you're worrying me. Most girls cry over their boyfriends, but you're taking it too well.”

Sure, Delta was taking it well _now_ , but before Truckee arrived, she was her own definition of a mess. At first, sitting still was impossible. She moved from the couch, to a chair, to the couch again, to the edge of the bathtub, and then camped out on the bed. All the while holding her phone for dear life, just waiting for Dan to text her and explain what the hell had happened. The text never came. 

Then Delta thought about calling her mom, which was rare. Her mom had always been the one to call her, just to check up and see how “that game show thing you do” is going. Delta was working on remembering to be the one to check in with her more often, but in this case, she couldn't find the energy to do it. 

Finally, she realized she was starving. She had found some Ritz crackers that Truckee brought on trips and ate one, but it tasted like dirt. She spit the brown mush into the trash. 

But she didn't cry. 

“Well,” Delta said, turning on her other side to face her best friend, “first of all, I'm not a girl. I'm a grown ass woman. Second of all, Dan isn't – wasn't my boyfriend. I don't cry over men.”

“You did once.”

That was true. It had been back when their friendship was just starting. Delta was fifteen and Truckee had just turned sixteen. A boy in their class had decided the new girl was prettier than Delta (she swore it was because the girl had bigger boobs) and ended their ten month relationship via a phone call that lasted less than thirty seconds. 

Back then, it felt as if Delta's world was crashing all around her. She'd skipped school the next day, which had been easy because her nose was runny and her eyes had been puffy and red from crying the entire night before. Truckee had taken notice of her absence and drove (because she wanted to drive everywhere with her new license) to Delta's house once school let out. 

“I figured something was up when that twat-waffle was holding that other twat-waffle's hand. I brought over some Dr. Pepper and Halo. I just got it yesterday. C'mon, Del. Let's go play.”

Truckee had stayed the weekend at Delta's house, battling the Flood, gulping Dr. Pepper, and drawing funny pictures to cheer Delta up whenever she began to cry again. They'd been inseparable ever since. 

“Tony was a boy,” Delta defended, pulling the blankets over Truckee. “Dan is a man. I don't cry over men.”

Still, there was no denying the tremble of her chin when she spoke. Truckee gripped at her hand, her eyes full of all the sorrow that Delta refused to show. 

“But do you want to, Del?”

“...Yeah. I really do.”

So she did. She cried the whole night through.


	17. A Chorus of Sirens

Delta was nearly convinced she'd been awake the entire night. She had spent the hours tossing and turning, checking her phone at least thirty times, and counted to a thousand twice. Exhaustion consumed her, but her mind wouldn't quiet enough to give in. 

She must've fallen asleep at some point, she figured, because one moment Truckee was snoring away next to her, and the next moment, she was gone. 

Sitting upright, Delta rubbed her eyes and stared at the bundle of empty blankets where Truckee had been. Eon Echo Gaming had only one event planned for the day: an autograph signing session at the same place and the same time as Game Grumps. She pushed out a breath, her stomach filling with painful knots. 

She wondered why people described things like this as a pain in your heart. For Delta, it was all in her gut; the tightness, the fluttering, the nausea. Even the thought of eating made her crinkle her nose in disgust. 

After counting down from five in her head, Delta pried herself from the bed. She still had an hour before she had to make an appearance – an appearance with Dan. She couldn't continue moping around just because of what he had said. So, she made her way to the bathroom, cringed at how puffy her eyes were, and put herself to work. 

It didn't take much to make herself look normal. Delta chuckled at that thought. ( _Chuckled._ She was losing it, no doubt.) It had been such a long time since anything was normal. Four months ago, Eon Echo Gaming was just another struggling streaming channel, Delta had only a handful of fans, and she wasn't so pathetically caught up with a member of a group that was a million times more popular than her own. That had been normal. She was beginning to forget what it was like to live such a simple life. 

Fishing through Truckee's makeup stash, Delta fought off the nagging urge to feign an illness or an accident – any reason to not have to show up at the signing. She could think of so many excuses to stay in the hotel room all day and avoid her problems. 

Well, _problem._ Singular. Dan. Or possibly Lucas. She knew the creep would show his face eventually. 

Delta settled on lighter tones with the makeup, ones that masked the fact that she had spent the night crying. Nodding to herself in the mirror, she raised her eyebrows, sincerely impressed with herself. She didn't possess Truckee's or Suzy's level of skill, but it was damn close. 

The surge of anxiety didn't fully hit until Delta decided on going through with the signing and took her first step out of the hotel room. What would she even say to Dan if he spoke to her? No, there was no “if” about it. It was a matter of “when,” because she knew he'd ask about her day or comment on her hair or clothes. Not that there was anything special about them – Dan was just the type of person to comment on anything. 

Delta paused halfway down the hallway, wiping her palms on her jeans. How in the world was she going to act like everything was okay when it obviously was not? For a fleeting moment, she could feel Dan's lips on her skin. 

“Okay, you can do this,” she mumbled to herself. “It's just Dan.” _Just_ Dan. That was the whole issue. “You'll be too busy signing things to pay any attention to him anyway.”

Unfortunately, that wasn't quite how it turned out. 

Delta arrived twenty minutes early to two booths set up side-by-side. One for Eon Echo Gaming and one for Game Grumps. Extremely unfortunately, Dan was the only one there.

Swallowing hard, Delta approached her booth, which was just a long table with her logo hanging from it. Dan glanced up from his phone, a grin growing on his face as if he hadn't a care in the world. Maybe he didn't. Maybe this was all on Delta. 

“Hey,” he greeted as she sat down. “You look rested.”

Delta almost choked on the irony. Move over, Truckee. There was a new makeup professional in town. 

“Thanks.” Her reply came out like venom. Bitter. Angry. Much to her surprise (and annoyance), it hurt to use that tone with him. It shouldn't have, but it did. Delta had every right to talk to him like that.

Dan placed his phone onto the table and turned in his chair. “Delta,” he said in a hushed voice, “you okay?”

How was she supposed to answer that? No, not at all, you liar. You manipulator. You...you goddamn beautiful human. 

“I'm fine,” Delta spat after a deep breath. 

One of the volunteers hustled over and delivered a water bottle to them each, then placed one in the empty spots where Truckee and Arin would sit. “You're going to need it,” she advised. 

“Thanks,” murmured Delta, cracking it open and taking a sip without hesitation. 

Dan seemed to have picked up on the tension between them. He grabbed for his phone and began to flick his thumb on the screen, his leg bouncing underneath the table. Delta fiddled with the cap of her bottle and pulled her own phone from her pocket. Her notification light flashed blue. 

“ _went 2 get a bite 2 eat,_ ” Truckee's text read. “ _will b back in time 4 autos._ ”

Delta sighed and shook her head. Truckee had the absolute worst timing to decide she was hungry. 

Shoving her phone back into her pocket, Delta glanced sideways at Dan. She hated it – all of it. The awkwardness, the fact that neither of them were speaking, the way he sat facing slightly away from her. It wasn't like them at all. It was all wrong. 

Delta wished she could just go back in time and stop that person from asking that stupid question. Then again, she'd find out eventually that there really wasn't anything between them. That she wasn't Dan's type, no matter how he made her feel with his hands and his lips. 

Being reminded of it only worsened Delta's mood. Her stomach twisted again, to the point that she stood and peered toward him without thinking. “Where's the bathroom?” she demanded to know, her voice hard. 

“Uh, through that door and it'll be on the left.” Dan seemed shocked that she spoke to him. She was a little shocked as well. 

Delta rushed from the room and toward the direction Dan told. The bathroom was vacant, which gave her more than enough privacy to pace back and forth while she considered all the possible excuses to get out of this. She paused, glared at herself through the water stained mirror, mentally chastised herself for leaving the hotel room in the first place, and resumed pacing. 

At a point, Delta thought she was going to barf. She chose a random stall and locked herself away in it. The bile never came up, but it gave her time to read the graffiti that someone had written on the back of the stall door in Sharpie. Apparently, scribbling out all the lyrics to _A Whole New World_ took too much effort or the Sharpie ran dry after the second verse. Either way, Delta read it four times before deciding she had wasted enough minutes. 

Just as she returned to the signing room, a steady stream of people began to pile in to gather around the tables. Still no sign of Truckee, but at last Arin was there to soak up Dan's attention. 

Fans gladly parted for Delta as she scurried to her table, but before she could take a seat, someone called her name. Amara, the girl from the live Halo streaming, approached her. 

“Hi, Echo!” she greeted, all the nerves from before absent from her voice. “I just wanted to thank you again for picking me the other day!”

Delta grabbed for her water bottle and filled her mouth with a hefty gulp while Amara prattled on. Although there was already a line forming at her table, she couldn't bare to interrupt the girl. 

“I called my mom right after and she was so happy for me! She wanted me to give you a hug from her, um, i-if that's okay.”

“Of course it's okay!”

Delta took Amara in her arms, noting the hint of peppermint tangled about in her hair. The hug, it seemed, lasted only half a second. Amara pulled away, her mouth pressed into a concerned frown. 

Delta blinked and watched Amara's mouth move. Her voice came moments later. “Are you okay? You're breathing really hard.” The first question came out fast, like a lightening strike. The second drawled out, like Amara wanted to linger on every word. 

Turning from her, Delta noticed the hundreds of people in the room. When did they all get there? There weren't that many a few moments ago. 

She blinked again. Amara's fingers were curled around Delta's left forearm. Her lips were moving again, but the voice never came. There was a high-pitched ringing in Delta's ears and it took her a minute to realize it was a combination of all the voices around her. 

Another blink. 

Delta was on the floor now. When the hell had she fallen? The ringing had dulled to a jumble of noises, none of them quite the sound of a human voice. It was deafening, but one single noise came through it all clear as day. 

“Delta? Delta?!”

Dan?

“Fuck! Fuck!”

She could see his face hovering above hers from so many miles away. No, he couldn't be that far. 

The nausea returned tenfold. Delta wanted to turn from Dan so she could force it from her throat, but her body was incredibly heavy. Even her stomach wouldn't work to push it upward. 

Dan was horrified. His eyes, always so calm and warming, were wide and frantic. He glanced up toward Amara and began to yell. Dan never yelled. Why was he yelling?

“Call an ambulance, damn it!” He sounded so frightened. “Hurry up!”

It struck Delta then, through her timeless haze. There was something wrong – something wrong with her. 

She heard Arin shouting from somewhere, telling people to back away and give her space. That was the last thing she wanted; everything seemed to be detaching from her. Her clothes, her skin, her limbs. She wanted everything closer and intact. 

Dan looked back to her, his wild mane framing his face. Delta could have sworn tears were brimming his eyes, but she doubted it. He spoke to her as if there wasn't a multitude of hysterical people all around them. 

“Delta?”

A trembling hand to her face. 

“Hang in there, baby. W-We're going to get help, okay?”

God, she was so tired. Far away, she could hear Amara's sobbing as she tried to explain what had just happened into her phone. 

And then Dan's voice. Something wet landed on her cheek, startling her. How could rain get into a building? Dan wiped it away with his thumb, and she realized it was a tear. 

“Keep your eyes open, baby, please. Delta – Delta, _look_ at me!”

Delta was tired. So damn tired. 

Her eyes closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, my beautiful friends. I want to make a little PSA here.
> 
> Please, for the sake of your health and the sake of my sanity, be careful with your drinks when you're out having a good time. This includes parties (even in your own home), concerts, clubs, and basically anywhere where crazy people can be. It only takes a second for someone to slip something into your drink.
> 
> I wrote the last scene from an experience I had a few months ago. I was out at a club with friends (thank God my friends were there), and an older man decided to strike up a conversation with me. He seemed friendly (though definitely not my type because a. he was old enough to be my dad, and b. I'm in a very loving and committed relationship), but the moment I stopped looking at my drink, he slipped something in there. It happened instantly -- basically the same way I described Delta's mindset toward the end. Luckily, my friends were there to walk me to the bathroom to try to puke it out of my system and made sure I got home safe, although I remember about 10% of it. 
> 
> So, please, just be cautious and pay attention. I wouldn't wish that sort of thing on anybody. It's horrifying and I can't even imagine the type of fear I would have felt if I was alone through it all.


	18. The Truth Will Set You Free

It was like coming up to the surface after spending much too long underwater. Delta struggled to open her eyes before sleep dragged her back under. She tried again, but something grabbed her ankles and yanked her down. Once more, a heaving breath, and she made it. 

Beside her head was the monotonous beeping of an EKG machine. Tape stuck to her arm, holding an IV needle securely in place. A hospital, she soon realized. Whatever the hell had happened landed her in the hospital. She nearly laughed.

For a long while, Delta lay motionless in her somewhat uncomfortable bed, staring at the ceiling. It wasn't as soft as the bed back in the hotel room, but she felt much too groggy and heavy to care. Her eyelids drooped, but she refused to let them close for any longer than half a second. 

The off-white door to her left opened. A middle-aged man in scrubs entered, his face covered mostly by thick glasses and a scruffy, salt-and-pepper beard. Delta had a momentary flashback to being eight again and waking up from having her tonsils removed, leading her believe this man was a doctor or a nurse. 

“Hello, Miss Foxtrot,” he greeted, smiling from ear to ear. Delta hoped he wasn't a fan; she couldn't deal with that right now. “How are you feeling?”

“Sleepy,” Delta replied, her words slightly slurred. “A little pukey. Please call me Delta.”

He nodded and scribbled something onto his clipboard. “Good. I know it doesn't seem like it, but that's an improvement. I'm Doctor Avery.” His smile grew, though Delta hadn't been sure that was even possible. “You gave a few hundred people quite the scare. We've been receiving calls nonstop since yesterday. It took us a minute to figure out that the Echo they were inquiring about was you.”

Delta wanted to crawl away and hide forever. She'd been hospitalized for an entire day and yet it flashed by in the blink of an eye. “Yeah, I'm...kind of popular on the Internet.”

Doctor Avery pulled a worn stool to her bedside and perched himself on it. His smile fell. “Delta, do you know what GHB is?”

She shook her head. 

“It stands for Gamma Hydroxybutyrate. It is a common drug mainly used in the party scenes. It's what we consider a date rape drug. In high doses, it can prove to be lethal. We found it in your system. Do you remember the last thing you ate or drank before losing consciousness?” 

Delta tried to picture it, to picture the events leading up to nothingness. She knew she had been chatting away with Amara when things started to spin out of control, but even imagining what the girl looked like at the time was a challenge. Then, in the back of her mind, Delta heard the crack of a water bottle opening. 

“Water,” she said, her voice nothing more than a pathetic croak. It hit her then, like a fist to the gut. “Oh...Oh my God. Someone drugged my _water_?” She was asking herself rather than the doctor. She'd always heard of things like this happening to other people, but never in a million years did she expect it to happen to her. 

“It seems so,” Doctor Avery responded gravely. “Luckily, we were able to flush it out. We kept you overnight to monitor, so once you feel up to it, you're free to go.” He gave her a gentle pat on the arm. “I'm glad you pulled through.”

Delta meant to thank him, but the shock left her speechless. The doctor stood and headed for the door, but stopped short before leaving. 

“Oh, I almost forgot,” he murmured, turning back to her. “There's a man waiting for you. He was very instant on coming into the room when we brought you in. He even drove behind the ambulance the entire way, but we couldn't allow him back.” He gave a gruff chuckle. “After we threatened to have him arrested, he seemed fine with waiting in the lobby. I think he slept there overnight. Would you like me to bring him in?”

Delta hesitated, instantly thinking of Lucas. “What does he look like?”

“Very tall. Skinny. Afro.”

Her heart skipped a beat. Doctor Avery glanced toward the EKG monitor. “Yeah, he's okay to let in.”

Once he left, Delta sat up in the bed, fumbling with the pillows for support. Her mind reeled as she stared at her palms in her lap. Who in the world had the bright idea to lace her water? When had it happened? It had to have been after she left for her pacing session in the bathroom.

“Delta?”

Her gaze shot up and settled on Dan's figure in the doorway. Her chest tightened; she'd almost forgotten about what he had said about her earlier. Seeing him now, his mouth just barely open and dark bags underneath his eyes, caused another wave of heartbreak to surge through her. Maybe she'd made a mistake by allowing him back, but he probably wouldn't have left until he saw her anyway. 

“Hey,” Delta deadpanned as Dan took a seat on the doctor's stool. 

At first, he didn't say anything. He stared at her face for what seemed like hours. Then his gaze trailed down to the IV needle, to the tube, to her covered feet, and back to her face. Delta took this time to study him as well. Dan had definitely spent the night in the lobby; he wore the same clothes as the day before and he hadn't shaved. Her concentration broke with his voice. 

“What happened?” he whispered. 

Delta swallowed. Her mouth felt so dry, but water was just too unappetizing. “Somebody drugged my water. I think the doctor said it was called GHB, or something like that.”

Dan's brows furrowed, his lips pressing into a thin line. “What,” he breathed, “the fuck?” His hushed tone surprised Delta. He sounded infuriated. “It's my fault. I'm sorry.”

“Your fault? How? You didn't do it. You didn't, right?” The possibility hurt just as much as seeing him again, but it didn't seem like something he would do. 

A look of offense flashed across his face. “No! God, no. I would never. I just...I should've been paying more attention.”

“It was a water bottle, Dan. Who pays constant attention to a water bottle?” She felt almost sorry for him, even though it should've been the other way around. In truth, she was angry with herself for considering pitying him. 

Letting out a ragged sigh, he reached for her hand. “Sweetheart, I'm--”

Delta slid her hands underneath the thin blanket before Dan could touch her. “Don't,” she snapped, trying to push through the guilt attempting to eat away at her. She hated the upset expression on his face, as if he were the victim in all this. “Stop calling me sweetheart, stop trying to hold my hand, and stop leading me on if I'm not your type.”

Realization flickered in his eyes. His shoulders slumped and he began to mutter, “Delt--”

“Delta!” came Truckee's boisterous voice from outside the door. There was another voice, frantic and unfamiliar, then Truckee's again. “Fuck you! Get away from me!”

The door swung open, bouncing off the rubber stopper on the wall behind it. Truckee appeared, her cheeks kissed with a deep crimson and her eyes puffy, with a nurse squawking away behind her. “Ma'am!” the nurse hollered, gripping onto Truckee's forearm. “You can't be back here!”

The redhead snapped, balled her opposite hand into a fist, and turned sharply. “Don't touch me!”

“Hey!” Delta barked as Dan stood to hold Truckee back if need be. “It's fine. I-I actually need her here.”

Glowering dangerously at Truckee, the nurse let out a curt huff and bustled back down the hallway. Delta watched her friend carefully as she advanced further into the room. It was rare for her to be this combative, but Delta understood. Actively trying to keep the two apart was a brawl just waiting to happen. 

Seemingly oblivious to Dan's presence, Truckee brushed past him and crawled into the bed next to Delta, minding the tubes sticking out from underneath her gown. For a minute, the trio linger in silence until Dan cleared his throat and said, “I, uh, I'm going to give you guys some space.”

Neither of them said a word as he shuffled out, the door thudding to a shut behind him. 

There was no need for Truckee to prompt Delta to speak. She started automatically, spouting off about meeting only Dan in the autograph room to her most recent conversation with him, and everything in between. The more she talked, the better she felt, both emotionally and physically. 

“It was Lucas,” Truckee assumed once Delta was finished. “Drugging you is something only a person on his level of crazy would do.”

Delta curled her nose at his name. “How can you be so sure it was him? Not that I disagree or anything.”

Sitting up to fully face her, Truckee explained, “He was waiting outside when the paramedics came, like he knew they'd show up. And he tried to fight Dan.” She shuddered. “It just seems like he was trying to lure Dan away from you and mess you up in the process.”

Ire boiled inside Delta, directed both at Lucas and herself. Lucas for obvious reasons and herself for giving him the time of day in the first place. She should have just treated him like every other fan. But he had been so nice and understanding at first, and he had caught her at a vulnerable time. 

If Delta could kick herself, she would have.

(~)

“No, Mom. I'm fine, really. You don't have to drive all the way to Texas. I'm coming home in a few hours anyway.”

Delta paced the floors of the hotel room, tossing her belongings into her suitcase while her mother fretted over the phone. After Truckee had heard about Delta's hospitalization from Arin, she immediately whipped out her phone and called the first of Delta's brothers that she found in her contacts. When Delta had gotten her own phone back from the hospital personnel, she groaned at the massive amount of missed calls and texts flashing across the screen. 

Her mother's name appeared more often than the rest, so she called her first. 

“Are you sure flying will be okay for you, Delly?” she questioned, her voice tense. “The high altitude--”

“I'll be fine,” Delta interrupted, glancing toward the door at the sound of three rapid knocks. “It was just low blood sugar.” The last thing she wanted to do was confess that she had been drugged, especially to a parent. 

Whatever her mother said fell on deaf ears as Delta rushed to the door and opened it. Dan stood, backpack straps around his shoulders and a pair of headphones around his neck. 

“Hey, Mom? Can I call you back in a bit?”

“Oh, sure! Talk to you later, honey! I love you!”

“I love you too.” Delta ended the call, slipped her phone into her pocket, and rested her hand on the doorknob. “What do you want?”

Dan pushed out a deep breath. “I owe you an apology and an explanation.”

For a fleeting moment, Delta considered slamming the door in his face. Ultimately, she decided against it. It took courage to admit that to someone who was still fuming and in all honesty, she was painfully curious. “Okay,” she muttered, pulling the door fully open. “Come in.”

Dan made his way past her and placed his backpack and headphones on one of the chairs. Game Grumps and Eon Echo Gaming were supposed to have left Texas the night before, but after Delta's incident, Truckee rescheduled their flights for the next day. Everyone except Dan had left, busy with their own projects but still filled with worry for her. Suzy had called fifteen times while Delta had been phoneless. 

Silence fell over the two. They simply stared until Dan's mouth finally opened. 

“I was engaged,” he said, forcing Delta's heart to seize. Why was he so intent on hurting her? “Her name was Claire. She was my longest relationship and the first person I really thought I loved.”

Delta chomped down on the inside of her cheek. “Okay.” What exactly was she supposed to say to that?

His eyes strayed from hers. She could easily tell this was still difficult for him to talk about. “Three months before the wedding, I found out that she cheated on me with multiple guys the whole time we were together. And then...” He trailed off and took a moment to gather himself. “Then she told me she was pregnant and the baby wasn't mine.”

Another knife to Delta's stomach. This time, it wasn't for herself. It was for Dan. She inhaled to say something – anything – but he kept on before she had the chance. 

“That was nine years ago. I haven't been in a relationship since because I'm terrified, Delta.” His voice was thick and she could have sworn his eyes were misty. “I'm not telling you this in hopes that you'll feel bad for me or anything. I just want you to understand the reason why I lied at the Q&A about you not being my type.”

“You lied?” Delta whispered. 

Dan nodded. “I shouldn't have. You are my type – more than anyone I've ever met. You're fucking gorgeous and kind and smart and you treat everyone like they're your friend instead of just another fan.”

She was sure the same thought coursed through their heads at that final statement: that that was what put her in the hospital. Neither of them brought it up. 

“I'm sorry, Delta,” Dan continued. “I'm sorry for being scared and for lying and for not telling you about any of this. I really, really like you and I've already fucked it up.”

Unsure if she wanted to cry for him or laugh because it had all been a lie and there was nothing wrong with her, Delta shook her head, her lips trembling with an overflow of thoughts that struggled to form into words. There were so many things she wanted to say to him, but time was running short. She knew Truckee would burst into the room soon and announce they had half an hour to get to the airport. 

“You didn't fuck this up,” she said. “Well, you did for a little bit there, but I get it. What happened to you is...is just horrible and I'm sorry it happened.” She took a step closer cautiously. Her fingers itched to feel his between them again; it had been far too long. When she grabbed for his hands, Dan instantly curled his fingers around hers. “I guess the only thing I can say here is that you don't have to worry about something like that ever happening with me.”

Her heart fluttered as a broad grin graced Dan's face. They spoke no more words for the time being. Her fingers unlaced from his, framing the sides of his face as he curled his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. Their lips met and Delta swore she'd never kissed a man before him. All her other kisses had been sloppy, hungry even, but this was something entirely new. It was innocent, like he was worried that kissing her too hard would shatter everything he'd just built up with her. As always, warmth spread over her and there was no doubt within her that this was right. 

For the first time in her life, everything was perfect and she couldn't bare to break away to tell him.


	19. Home Is Not A Place

Chief and Cortana studied Delta, their judgmental, piercing yellow eyes following her every move as she pranced about her bedroom. The cats had long ago perched themselves on her bed and refused to move except to occupy and remaining space in her suitcase, but their owner didn't seem to mind. She was too busy trying to decide on outfits and obsessively checking her phone every two minutes. 

Letting out a silent yawn, Cortana once again hopped into the suitcase, curled herself into a ball of too much fur, and promptly fell asleep. Chief, however, remained curious and attentive. The Maine Coon vaulted himself from the bed, earning a harsh scolding from his blonde caretaker as he wrapped himself around her ankle like an invasive vine. 

He bolted from her sight, seeking refuge in the massive closet she often disappeared into. A familiar, tedious melody filled the room, shifting her attention from him to her phone. “ _Roses are red and violets are blue. One day we'll--_ ”

“Hey!” Delta said, bringing the phone to her ear. Chief watched from atop a bra that she hadn't picked off the floor in ages. He found the things too uncomfortable to sleep on with their hidden wires and frilly lace that never tasted as good as he expected. “Yeah, I got it. Sorry I didn't reply. I've been packing all morning...”

Chief stretched, digging his claws into the carpet as he elongated his spine. This would prove to be another uninteresting conversation, he assumed. Unless he heard his name – which hardly ever happened anymore – he could care less about what was being said. 

The redhead flashed through his mind. Again, his spirit of inquiry soared.

Chief trod from Delta's room, sniffing the air as he went. Somewhere, a window had been left open; a chilly, crisp smell wafted through the apartment, filling the furry creature with a hint of dread. October was gaining traction rapidly in the world, which meant the invisible sliding door would no longer remain open for his balcony leisure. He grunted at the thought. 

Upon stopping at the door, Chief found his path to be blocked. He stood on his hind legs, batting at the metal handle while chattering out a series of sharp mews of distress. “Let me in!” he hoped his second feeder would understand. “Pick me up and pet me and remind me how handsome I am!”

It took a few moment and a muffled curse before the door swung open. She stood peering down at Chief with her own phone secured between her ear and her shoulder. Chief waited patiently for her slender fingers to lift him from the ground and a set of pouting lips to smother him in kisses that he planned on pretending he abhorred, but no such thing came. 

“I've been up all night,” Truckee admitted into the phone as she walked from Chief's presence. “Yeah, well, I had some catching up to do on the animations, Grammy.” A pause. “No, Del offered to drive.”

Dissatisfied with her greeting, Chief spied a fresh pile of clothes that had hastily been tossed onto her bed, and approached it. He had always favored Truckee's laundry over Delta's. It was obvious that they used different detergent. 

“It's only an eight hour drive and – Oh, Grammy, hang on. The freakin' cat jumped on all my clean clothes. Chief! Get off of those, ya lard!”

Chief had just settled in to a comfortable position when a shirt was yanked out from underneath him, forcibly rolling him onto his paws. Anger boiled up inside him. How in the world could she dismember his bed without asking his permission first? And where were his smooches?

After deciding he had been betrayed by his most loyal servant, Chief lumbered his way back to the previous room, sulking the entire way. His sister still slept away in the suitcase, but Delta was nowhere in sight. Her scent lingered. A tang of vanilla, like the goopy stuff she used to clean her hair, and flowery, like the strange balm she put on her armpits every morning. 

A clatter from the adjacent bathroom roused Cortana. She lifted her head, peered in the direction of the noise, and returned to dozing off. Intrigued, Chief dashed to the bathroom door. Different variations of makeup had fallen to the floor and Delta sat in the midst of it all, rushing to collect the oddly shaped containers into a pink and white striped pouch. 

Chief's irritation toward Truckee's negligence had suddenly been replaced by a burst of excitement. He batted at the first thing he could reach: a long tube of something his owners often applied to the hairs on the eyelids. It skidded underneath the sink. 

“Chief!” came Delta's roar. “Knock it off, turd!”

Absolutely offended, Chief narrowed his eyes and his fluffed tail flicked side to side in twitching motions. 

“Oh, don't even give me that look, mister.”

Chief gave her a few more moments of the silent stare treatment before returning to Cortana's side. His sister didn't acknowledge him. Her eyes remained shut and a hypnotic purr rumbled from her throat. At first, he considered climbing into the suitcase and snuggling up to her, but something told him that she would growl in protest. It seemed to be a common trait the females of the household shared lately. 

He threw in the towel and opted for a pillow instead.

(~)

Hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that it looked as if her bones were ready to rip through her skin at any moment, Delta kept her eyes on the road in front of her, her breathing short and heavy. She licked her lips, refusing to reach into her pocket for her ChapStick.

Truckee watched from the passenger seat. “You do realize the car isn't going to veer off the road if you blink, right?” she teased, rubbing her bleary eyes. She should have nodded off when the drive began, but they had just crossed the California border and sleep still hadn't found her. 

“I know,” Delta shot back. “It's just that I've never driven a new car before.”

“I've spilled Mountain Dew in your seat, Del. It isn't exactly new anymore. Do you want me to drive the rest of the way?”

“So you can pass out at the wheel and kill us both? I don't think so.”

Rolling her eyes at the blonde's dramatic attitude, Truckee shifted her weight and pulled the beige throw blanket over her head. Within a mere five minutes, a snore harmonized with the soft melody of the radio. 

Delta sighed, wishing Truckee hadn't stayed up all night. Too nervous to reach over to turn the radio up, she tapped her fingers on the wheel, knowing better than to sing along with it. She had never been much of a singer and as much as she could have used Truckee's company, she didn't want to wake her. 

Other than driving the partially new car, the near future filled Delta with a mixture of anxiety and exhilaration. She'd never been to Glendale before, so she was eager for the new sights and experiences. There was also Dan, who she hadn't seen since the day they left Texas almost a month ago. It seemed he had more spare time since their moment of intimacy; he called her every night to ask about her day or praise her latest streaming session. The calls, however, usually ended with an awkward stall before the final goodbye. 

Delta could have sworn he nearly blurted out an “I love you” once, but then again, it could have just been her imagination. 

She squirmed in her seat thinking on it. It wasn't as if she'd never heard him say the L-word before. He often expressed it in Game Grumps videos toward fans, but never directly to her. 

What would she even do if Dan did say it to her? Did she feel the same way? She pondered on that, reminiscing on the fluttering in her stomach when he sent her early morning pictures of himself and the shroud of calmness that settled over her at the sound of his voice late at night. Delta couldn't be sure if she loved Dan. She had assumed that she loved a few men before, but none of it had been real – just simple flings that made her feel a little too giddy the day after. 

How could she be so sure this time?

(~)

“Echo, it's Lucas.”

Delta's blood ran cold. The voicemail went on. 

“I know where you are. I followed behind you for fifty miles, but I ran out of gas. You were in a white Elantra, right? Are you on your way to see Dan? In Glendale? Call me. Maybe we can meet up.”

Beside Delta, Truckee shivered. She crossed her arms over her chest, huddling closer to Barry, who looked disturbed in every sense of the word. Delta continued to pace back and forth in the hotel parking lot as she shut off her phone, her gut in tight knots. 

“And we can't turn him into the cops?” Truckee asked in desperation. 

Delta ran a hand through her frazzled hair. “No,” she replied. “I can't prove that he was the one who laced my water and he hasn't shown up at the apartment yet.”

Barry pushed out a bitter huff. “So, we can't get a restraining order or anything against this guy until he does something physical and we can prove it?”

“Basically.”

Dan, a distant shadow since Delta saw the voicemail from Lucas, chimed in, “Well, that decides it. You two can stay with us instead of the hotel.” Delta's heart thudded in her chest at the suggestion, and Dan threw her a knowing look before she had the chance to protest. “It'll be safer now that he's sure you're here in Glendale. Not to mention you won't have to spend any money on hotel fares.”

The idea was enticing – there was no doubt about that – but something still held Delta back. The fact that she didn't know what that something was frustrated her greatly. She glanced toward Truckee, whose jarring look told her to just suck up whatever was going through her head and go along with this. 

“I don't want to impose,” Delta began only to have her sentence finished by a snorting chuckle from Dan. 

Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his mouth pulled into an almost childlike smirk. “There's nothing we want more than for you two to impose on us, my dear.”

They filed back into the cars, this time with different partners. Instead of Delta riding with Truckee, she hopped into the passenger seat of Dan's Nissan, ogling at the amount of space inside the car. “You weren't kidding about the leg room,” she commented, stretching her toes toward the front end.

Dan twisted the key in the ignition, watching Delta's beaming face as she surveyed the interior. Holding out his hand, fingers outstretched to create spaces for hers, he chuckled. “Seriously,” he murmured, “you have _got_ to stop being so damn cute all the time.” 

She flushed, sliding her hand into his. It was like coming home. “I can't,” she played along. “I went to college for it. Four years to get a master's degree in the Art of Cute. It's all I know.” 

His head whipped to the side, his dark eyes crinkling at the edges as his smile grew larger. He brought the back of her hand to his lips, kissing her skin as delicately as he had kissed her lips. “You have no idea how happy I am that you're here, baby girl.”

(~)

The car stopped in front of a gate. After explaining that he normally gave Barry the garage, Dan parked the vehicle and gazed up at the gated Craftsman-style home. Delta peered out of her door in awe at the size of it.

A wooden deck extended out from the mahogany windowed door, supporting a pair of metal lounge chairs, a grill, and a glass patio table. The house itself, a rustic themed two-story beauty, was adorned with multiple four-paned windows and two picture windows shouldering the front door. Acutely trimmed shrubbery lined the deck, creating a barrier between the lush lawn and the home itself. 

“You live here?” Delta asked, stepping out of the car. Her eyes were locked on the gorgeous building. 

Dan was already on his way around the back of the car to grab a bundle of folders and papers from the trunk. “No, this house belongs to some rich guy. I just assumed we'd all kick him out and shack up together,” he joked as he closed the hatch. Delta shot him a disbelieving look to which he shrugged innocently at. “I'm just kidding. Barry and I moved in a few months back. Well, probably about a year now that I think about it. There's a guest room, but” – he trailed off for a moment, his gaze flicking to the house before returning to her eyes – “I just figured we could share my room.” He finished with a nonchalant shrug. 

Delta froze. Share a room? A bed? For a week? With Dan? She tried to speak, to tell him that hell yeah, that sounded awesome, but she tripped on her words. “Uh, helley...”

“O-Or you can totally take the guest room,” Dan rushed to say, apparently taking her lack of communication skill as a refusal to his offer. “It's totally up to you.”

It was rare that Dan got flustered around her and actually showed it. To Delta, it was as adorable as he seemed to think she was. She strolled over to him, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek. Stubble tickled her lips. “We can share,” she said. “I mean, until you get tired of me hogging the bed and kick me off.”

A playful, deep chuckle rumbled from his mouth as he snaked his fingers along her hairline on her neck and brought his lips onto hers. It was different than last time; more forceful, like he was telling her how much he missed her without speaking. 

“I hope you're ready to fight to the death for the blankets,” he warned when he pulled away, leaving Delta aching for more, “because I've been training my whole life.”

“Get a room!” came Truckee's voice from the front door as it flew open. Delta and Dan turned sharply, the former taking a small step away. Hanging halfway out of the house, Truckee winked and stuck her tongue out at the pair. “Are you guys going to come inside or are you going make out on the side of the street all day?”

“We haven't decided!” Dan called back. 

Face hot, a smile curving her lips, Delta shook her head and wrapped her arm around Dan's. “C'mon,” she murmured. “If we don't hurry, she'll forget where she put my suitcase.”

The interior of the house left Delta just as speechless as the exterior. Standing in the long entry hall, she gawked at the cleanliness and decoration of the place. Countless pictures lined the wall and, at a closer glance, she saw the laughing faces of multiple people in them: Arin, Suzy, Ross, Brian, a girl with long dark hair and Dan's nose, two young boys latched onto Dan's arms, and at the very end, the same picture of Dan and Delta gazing at each other that had been coasting all over the Internet. 

“I hope you don't mind,” Dan remarked once Delta had stopped to look at it. “I know everyone obsesses over it, but it's one of my favorite pictures.” 

Delta's heart jumped into her throat. “I don't mind at all,” she confessed. “It's one of my favorites, too.”

“Hey!” Truckee boomed from another room. “Come look at this kitchen!”

Eyes darting all about her surroundings, Delta made her way toward the sound of her friend's voice to find her in an extensive kitchen. Stainless steel appliances sat grounded on the hardwood floor, spotless as if they'd never been used. Marble counter tops lined the walls and imitated the island in the middle of the kitchen. A hefty collection of pots and pans hung above it, leaving Delta to wonder if they had actually used them all. Back at home, she and Truckee owned only a handful of them, used mostly to cook ramen at three in the morning in their underwear. 

“This is like my mother's dream,” she commented, inspecting the surfaces for dust. Her fingertips came back clean. “Do you guys even come in here? It looks like nothing has been used.”

As Truckee took a seat at one of the bar stools, Barry opened the fridge and tossed her a bottle of Dr. Pepper. “I would wait to open that,” he advised her before addressing Delta. “I cook more than Dan because I'm home more often, but we have a maid who comes in and cleans twice a week. Want one?” He held out another bottle toward her.

“No, thank you.” She didn't hear Dan approach her from behind, causing her to jolt as his hushed voice sounded near her ear. 

“Want to put your stuff in my room?”

Although they meant to be inconspicuous, Truckee and Barry exchanged a sly look, mirroring each other's eyebrow wiggle. Delta scoffed, turning her back to them, and motioned for Dan to before her. “Lead the way.”

It felt like ages since Delta had last seen Dan's room, though it had been only through a screen. It looked exactly as the way she remembered seeing the small part: the comforting gray walls, the bed that looked much too big to suit one person, the band posters. What was new to her was the hamper of clothes tucked away in the corner, the worn notepad on his bedside table, and the closet with folding doors just barely open, revealing a rack of haphazard items of clothing. 

“It looks so...” Delta considered her words. “Normal.”

With a fleeting snicker, Dan arched a brow. “Is that a bad thing?” he inquired lightly. “What were you expecting?”

She shrugged, dropping her suitcase against the wall. “Honestly, I'm not too sure. Maybe Arin lounging around in his underwear?”

“He only does that on Sundays.”

“Sundays? Oh, how sacrilegious.” 

Delta meant to laugh at her own joke, but her phone cut her off. Lucas' name flashed on the screen and dread filled her again. Before she had the chance to end the call before it even started, Dan's fingers curled around the device, taking it from her grasp. He peered at the name, scrunched his nose, and let out a lengthy sigh. 

“He isn't going to stop, huh?” he asked disdainfully. 

His tone pierced Delta's heart as he handed her back the phone. She wasted no time slipping it into her pocket. “I don't think so,” she said in defeat. “I-I'm really sorry about him, Dan. I wish he would stop, but--”

“Hey,” he interrupted, cupping her chin with his finger. “You don't have to apologize. I know what it's like to have fans who make you into a huge part of their life.” 

“What do you mean?”

“Ever heard of fanfiction?”

This brought out a pathetic chuckle. “Of course I have.” 

He kissed her once more. She swore every time it happened, the world stopped and sped up around them at the same time. They just never seemed to last long enough, and yet felt like they went on for hours. 

“As long as I'm here,” he said once he pulled away, “he's not going to touch you, okay? You're safe with me, Delta.”


	20. The Moment of Confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, let me say a little word of thanks to [BrittHowland](http://archiveofourown.org/users/BrittHowland) for her help with the final scene of this chapter. It was my first attempt at something like that in YEARS, and she handled my stressed out ass like a champ. She writes AMAZING Danny fics as well, so check her out!
> 
> Second of all, this is the chapter that introduces a bit of smut. So, that's my warning. 
> 
> Third of all, thank you all for your continued support! I'm still in shock over how much attention this story gets, and I'm so grateful for all the kudos and reviews and views. 
> 
> Enjoy!

From the passenger side of the Dan's car, Delta watched through the rear view mirror as Truckee bounced in her seat, hardly able to contain herself. Her head whipped from side to side, her fiery locks flicking to each shoulder as she took in the vast sights of the new and exhilarating city. Beside her, Barry chattered away, pointing out places of interest and yet another hobo relieving himself in an alleyway or against a tree. Delta doubted her friend was listening to much of what was being said; the Grump office awaited them, and Truckee's mind couldn't focus on anything else. 

Even Delta herself found it difficult to feel anything but an overwhelming rush of eagerness as she peered out of her own window. It truly was a breathtaking place in comparison to Reno. Everything was so lush and green, whereas in the next state over, dull browns and yellows covered hills and plains where casinos stopped. Odd trees poked up seemingly at every corner here, giving the impression that maybe the two had landed on some foreign planet. 

The amount of foot traffic surprised her. Back in her hometown, Delta hardly saw pedestrians outside of the city lights. Most everyone drove, their obnoxious honks and shouts of death threats filling the air. Here, though, mobile bodies crowded the sidewalks. Some kept their eyes glued to their phones in front of their faces, some greeted everyone they passed with a silent nod. Others simply rushed their way through as if they had somewhere to be and not enough time to get there. 

Delta loved it all – from the horrendous traffic that Dan made muffled grunts at every time he slammed on his brakes, to the rundown shops that still catered to customers. She reveled in it. It gave her a longing sense of home, like this was the place she'd been searching for for nearly thirty years. The invasive thought was almost troubling. She and Truckee had only been in Glendale for two hours and she was already enjoying it more than her actual home. 

Was it normal to feel that way about a place you knew you'd have to leave in a week?

Stealing a glance at Dan, who hummed along with the radio as he wandered the internal world of his own, Delta's lips twitched in an urge to grin in his direction. She kept control. Pondering back on it, her memories of the last two hours were filled with nothing but grinning at him and she hoped she wasn't starting to creep him out. Their relationship was just beginning to bloom, after all. Creeping him out was the last thing she wanted. 

Her thoughts froze on that word: relationship. Is that what they had? They'd only kissed a few times and held hands a dozen times more. Most importantly, she would be sharing a bed with him. Did that put them in a relationship? It had been such a long time that Delta had been fully committed to one person that she had forgotten what the prerequisites were to be a girlfriend. 

“Hey.”

Dan's faint voice yanked Delta from her reverie. She hadn't even realized that her stare had been locked on nothing in front of her, giving her a doll-like appearance. His hand reached over to hers, intertwining their fingers the moment their skin came into contact. 

“You okay?” he inquired, his brows pulling together. “You look like you're practically drowning in your thoughts over there.”

Flashing a small – and hopefully the opposite of creepy – smile, Delta nodded and sucked in a sharp breath of air. “I'm fine. Perfectly fine, actually. I just” – she lifted her free hand to motion toward their surroundings before dropping it back into her lap – “love it here. It's all so pretty and very not Nevada.” 

He chuckled at her joke, although she meant it as a serious statement. “I'm glad you like it. I'm really, really glad.”

Not long after, Dan pulled the car into the parking lot of a building that hardly stood out from the others they had recently passed by. Grey in color, the office held many windows, much like the house he shared with Barry. Delta wondered if it would continue to be a reoccurring thing, but brushed it off as just a coincidence. Shrubs and trees much like the strange ones they passed decorated the neatly trimmed lawn that lined the concrete. She wondered if plants stayed alive even when snow covered them. 

Not many cars filled the spaces. Other than Dan's, only two sat parked between faded white lines. “Looks like there's only a few of us here,” Barry commented as they hopped from the car. 

Stepping out into the harsh sunlight, Delta shielded her eyes with her hand as she looked up at the building. In one of the windows, she spied Arin glued to the glass, his mouth in a ring, blowing hot air onto the surface. With his palms pressed against it, he moved his wrists in a waving motion. 

“Does he do that all the time?” she questioned once Dan had noticed him. 

“Oh, yeah. You got lucky. Usually he presses his bare ass on the window. Our cleaning lady always gets onto him about it.”

Delta shuddered at the image, but laughed anyway. 

Approaching the doors, she watched as Dan retrieved an off-white card from his wallet, held it to a metal sensor, and pulled on the handle once it beeped. It almost threw her off. The most security Eon Echo Gaming had was an apartment key and an elderly man fast asleep in the lobby. She couldn't imagine carrying around a card key at all times just to get into the building. 

Inside, they weren't greeted with an ancient receptionist or even a desk. Save for a staircase mostly hidden by a fake plant, the lobby was empty, devoid of any windows or chairs. At first, Delta was disappointed. In her mind's eye, she had imagined pictures of penises lining the walls, thunderous laughter from every angle, and beanbags galore. She reminded herself twice that this technically wasn't even the Grump office; they still had much to see. 

Ascending the staircase revealed a long hallway with a series of doors connected to it. Delta could easily pick out their destination now; the Grump office door was painted an obnoxious orange and was decorated with crude drawings of everyone involved with Game Grumps. They lingered a moment before entering to observe them. Truckee and Delta made a game of pointing out who was who based on the traits the artist had given the characters. 

“Who drew these?” Delta inquired with a giggle. “A first grader or something?”

“Actually, I think he's in third grade now,” Dan replied, looking closely at the date scrawled at the bottom of Arin's portrait. “Yep. This was two years ago.”

Truckee's brows lifted and she chimed in with, “Anyone who lets their first grader watch Game Grumps needs to pick up a parenting book.” 

Throwing an arm around her shoulders, Barry scrunched his nose. “Nah. Just starting them out early.”

Before they could say anything more about the pictures, the door flung open, revealing two bodies. Suzy instantly pulled both women into an inelegant embrace, falling into her usual routine of expressing how much she had missed them. Arin, on the other hand, shot Dan and Barry a curious look, probably wondering what had taken them so long to get there. 

“I have so much to show you!” Suzy exclaimed, wrapping her dainty fingers around Truckee and Delta's wrists to guide them further into the office. Delta shot Dan a wary glance as she stepped away from him, but he seemed too indulged in a hushed conversation with Arin to notice. 

As Suzy gave them a lengthy tour of the office, pointing out everyone's cluttered desks and places to lounge when work wasn't screaming for attention, Delta felt incredibly small. The room was much larger than she realized, even after watching Grump Out videos that gave a momentary look into the walls that contained Truckee's obsession.

Wires and cords were adornments of their own; they had been taped along walls, the floor, and the ceiling to connect all the devices. To mask the tripping hazard, inconsistent rugs had been placed on the floor, saving the Grump crew from their possible deaths. Bookshelves lined the walls between gaming posters, overfilled with countless video games and hefty strategy guides. Much to Delta's delight, she spied beanbags haphazardly placed about and resisted the urge to plop her butt into one. Owning one of the squishy seats had always been on her bucket list, but the fact that she owned two destructive felines dashed her hopes for the time being. 

“And this,” Suzy said as they entered what appeared to be another common area, “is our kitchen.” A broad smile graced her lips as she turned to face Delta and Truckee. “We literally always have snacks, so if you're ever hungry, help yourself.”

Truckee's mouth dropped as she peered inside one of the cabinets. “Can I...Can I have some of these Cheez-Its?” she asked timidly, reaching inside and pulling out a family sized box. 

Suzy simply shrugged. “Go ahead. We have four more boxes in there somewhere.”

While Truckee fell into a rapid speech about her love for the delicious baked squares, Delta's attention shifted elsewhere. A gigantic wooden picnic-style table sat a few feet from the fridge and the counters, littered with papers and floor plans. She took a quick second to examine them, realizing shortly that they were information for different apartment complexes. 

“Are you guys looking to move?” she asked, holding one of the floor plans up to Suzy. “Sorry, I shouldn't be so nosy.”

Flushing, Suzy shook her head. “That's okay. It's not like we were hiding them or anything,” she said. “No, we aren't moving. We have some, uh, friends who are thinking about moving to this area, so we figured we'd help them out.”

Delta placed the paper back onto the table with a nod. It was such a nice gesture, she thought, though she couldn't help but feel a little jealous. She'd do anything to get out of Reno and closer to this part of the world, but there were so many factors that went into play with moving. She'd have to say goodbye to her family, which would put her mother into hysterics. Delta could hear the sobbing now, and the repeated statement that her mother's baby wasn't a baby anymore, even though she hadn't been a baby for plenty of years. There was the packing as well, which Delta was beginning to detest. And traveling with the cats would be a nightmare in itself. 

There was also the fact that Truckee would have to leave her grandparents. That thought left a bitter swell in Delta's gut. Truckee's father had been in a car accident when she was only six weeks old, and died on impact. The grief had been too much for her mother. She had been thrown into the single mother life much too early at the age of nineteen and left her newborn in the care of her own parents before leaving for a weekend trip to Las Vegas that she never returned from. Truckee's grandparents had raised the bright-eyed girl to the outstanding woman she was. She was the reason they kept on the way they did: eating healthy, weekly trips to the gym, anything to make themselves available for her when she needed them. 

Delta knew Truckee would miss them too, but she also knew that Truckee hated Reno just as much as she did. 

“Three women in the kitchen,” Dan remarked as he approached the trio. “That's like, every man's fantasy right?” He reared back with a fit of laughter as Suzy raised a fist to him, threatening with a grin to punch his arm. “I'm kidding! I'm kidding!” 

“You'd better be, Danny.”

Dan shimmied his way past the women to make his way to the fridge. He opened it, grabbed a water for himself, and tossed a Dr. Pepper to Delta. “I wouldn't open that right now,” he advised before motioning his head toward one of the rooms Suzy hadn't touched on yet. “Arin has everything set up for us. Ready?”

Delta tilted her head slightly, her pointer finger tracing the lip of the can. “Ready for what?”

“The Silent Hill play through?”

It donned on her then that she wasn't just here to tour the office. The entire reason for the trip to Glendale was to record a Halloween special of Silent Hill: Homecoming. Arin had given her the choice of the game with the exception that it had to be something she had already played and something that would “scare the ever-living shit out of Dan.” She found it amusing and picked one of her favorite Silent Hill games to throw Dan into.

A spark of excitement shot through Delta at the reminder. “Of course I'm ready!” she nearly shouted, cracking the can of soda open. 

With a piercing hiss, the can exploded in a mess of carbonation and sticky syrup. Dark spots freckled Delta's shirt and her hair strands glued together with a terrible glutinous substance. Simultaneously, Truckee and Suzy let out a cackle while Dan tried his hardest to hide his smirk. He tossed Delta a roll of paper towels after ripping a few off for himself.

Sighing, Delta went to work, soaking up the soda on the floor and muttering, “Once I'm done cleaning up my mess, that is.” 

(~)

“All set?”

“I think so.”

Delta settled herself into the worn couch, adjusting the over-sized hoodie that Ross had provided after snickering at the damage she had done to her own clothes. Nobody was quite sure who the hoodie belonged to – just that it had drifted from place to place within the office for months now. It looked and smelled clean enough, and with a logo of a band Delta used to obsess over as a teenager on the front, she wasted no time pulling it over her head. Her hair was still sticky, but she figured that was something she had to take care of later. 

Her eyes darted all around the compact room she was in. In all her years of streaming, she'd never seen so many microphones and odd mechanical objects in the same place before. She touched the mic directly in front of her, amazed at the size and intricate design of it. Somewhere far away, she could hear her bank account hollering, begging her not to get any funny ideas. That thing must have cost a fortune. 

On the opposite end of the couch, Dan adjusted his own mic and threw her a crooked smile. “On a scale of one to ten, how scary is this game?”

“The first time, I couldn't play it unless someone was in the room with me.”

“Good thing you're here with me, right?”

Delta's stomach twisted and she wasn't sure if it was from the adorable look on his face or the anticipation of watching him scream with every jarring noise. Either way, she returned the smile and brought her legs up to cross them over each other. “Yeah, good thing.”

On the other side of the wall, Truckee and Barry perched themselves in front of his computer. Delta could almost hear the billions of questions her best friend was spouting about the entire process. She was happy for her – really, she was; it was a long-standing dream come true. Then again, it was a bittersweet moment. Delta had only partly lived her own dream of watching Eon Echo Gaming take off into something more than a weekend get-together. Rooster Teeth was still out there and she had yet to meet them. 

“Once we start the game and give the signal,” Dan muttered, grabbing for the controller, “Barry will start recording. Remember: this won't air until Halloween.” 

Delta nodded and watched as the black screen before them lit up with life and a rush of nostalgia. Silent Hill: Homecoming had been her first Silent Hill game and one of the rare games she played over and over again. Delta knew the foggy streets like the back of her hand. She knew when enemies were going to strike, how to dodge and deliver devastating blows with any weapon, and most importantly, she knew what parts of the game Dan was sure to shriek at. She just hoped he wouldn't repeat one of her past mistakes and hurl the controller into the TV at the first jump scare. 

A thrilled smirk twitched onto Delta's face as the game's somber theme music began to play. Dan shot her a curious glance and stated, “You've played this.”

Delta shrugged, an innocent look falling over her face. “Maybe once or twice or eleven times. Okay, Barry, I think we're ready!”

Having seniority within the Game Grumps group, Dan took over from here, starting off the recording with a heavy sigh. “Welcome to Guest Grumps, everyone,” he deadpanned. “I'm here with Echo from Eon Echo Gaming, and we're playing this game that she's already a pro at and probably won't tell me anything about it.”

“Oh, I can tell you plenty of things about it, Dan,” Delta retorted, her usual streaming confidence pushing through into her voice. The act of it, it seemed, was becoming easier. “I can tell you that this game is pretty awesome, and that there are absolutely no plot twists whatsoever.”

“Somehow, I don't believe that.”

Delta focused entirely on the screen. She felt strange knowing that nobody was actively watching her or that they were unable to see her face at all. Part of her was comforted by that fact, but she'd never consider changing the way Eon Echo Gaming did things. “All right! So for Halloween, Danny and I are playing one of my favorite scary games out there! A lot of you probably know what it is and will disagree with me, but Silent Hill: Homecoming is top-notch Silent Hill.”

Dan selected the option to start a new game and stalled when he was prompted to choose what level of difficulty. “I should probably go with normal,” he mused. “I'm already the worst Silent Hill player in history.”

“No way!” Delta urged, motioning toward the second option. “Go hard or go home!”

Lips twitching into a childlike grin, Dan stifled a chuckle. “Guess we're going hard,” he added, winking. 

Delta nearly gasped, but refrained, knowing the mic would pick up on it. She was fully aware of how sensitive the expensive ones were – they could pick up the sound of a fly taking a shit five miles away. Raising her brows, she tilted her head at him. “Is that how we're playing this game?” she breathed, her tone just above a silent phrase. 

Dan's eyes trailed up and down, studying her sarcastically. “Guess so, sweetheart,” he answered, mirroring Delta's tone and facial expression. 

The haunting sound of air raid sirens played out in front of them, catching Dan's attention instantly. The flash of bright white forced him to blink a few times before realizing that the game had actually started. Even Delta was caught off-guard; she'd been too attentive to the way Dan absentmindedly licked his lips from time to time. 

“Am I in a war?” Dan asked, his gaze darting about the screen. “O-Oh, no, wait. Why am I tied down on a gurney? What the fuck is going on? Ew, what's on that guy's mask? Is-Is that _blood_? Does he _eat_ people?”

Delta couldn't hold back her wide grin as she listened to his endless list of questions. “You have to actually play the game to find out. You're not even thirty seconds into it.” 

“Yeah, but – Holy shit, are they _torturing_ people here?!” Dan's head turned, his eyes gleaming with fear already. “I don't know if I can play this, Echo. I'm already on the verge of pissing myself.”

“Do we need to take a bathroom break?”

“No, but...” A sigh. “Will you hold my hand if shit gets too crazy?”

“I will always hold your hand.”

For a moment, they had forgotten where they were and what they were doing. It was only the two of them and a screaming character in the game – not an entire world that would hear this in a few weeks. Delta was certain they were also sharing the same thought: Screw this game, let's go home. Unfortunately, that wasn't a choice. They'd only have to play for an hour today, and then the night was theirs. 

“Okay,” Dan finally said, tearing his stare away from Delta, “so, what do I do now?”

“Just wait.”

“Wait for wh – Oh my God! Did that guy just get cut in half?!”

“He most certainly did.”

“Jesus!”

The game continued for an excessive amount of time. While Dan struggled to figure out the controls, Delta sprawled her legs across his lap, enjoying the feeling of contentment filling her. What could be better than watching one of your favorite people play one of your favorite games while you sit back and laugh at all his screams and controller drops to cover his eyes with his hands? Nothing, Delta decided. Absolutely nothing. 

“Josh? Josh, is that you?” 

“Who the hell is Josh?” Dan demanded to know, squinting his eyes at the screen. “Why is a little kid in a place like this? And why is he _drawing_?” 

“Alex.” A wispy giggle floated through the air. 

Dan rested his hand on Delta's leg, gripping slightly at her pants. “I don't like how he talks,” he confessed. “That kid...that kid is probably the devil or some shit.”

“Possibly,” Delta responded, her breath hitching in her throat as Dan took a quick moment to slip his hand into her pant leg to run his nails down her skin. She shivered at the sensation and lifted her gaze to him. Russet pools met her mismatched ones, lips barely parted. Was he giving her the smolder? An actual smolder? 

By the time Dan had finished the introductory area of the game, forty minutes had passed by. Delta sat huddled against him, her left hand reaching up to twirl locks of his hair around her fingers. He had pulled her closer by mistake; her mic had shifted at some point and he had reached over to fix it, and ended up gripping her hand and nestling her to his side. Between the hair fondling and the body heat radiating between them, Dan seemed to calm down, taking on the game with a little less fear in his words and a little less shake in his movements. 

“All right, everyone!” Dan announced suddenly once the timer began to approach the forty minute mark. “That's all we're going to have time for tonight, but tune back in for another round of actual torture while a pretty blonde girl laughs at my misery!” 

Bewildered, Delta went along with it. Why was he ending it so early, and just when the scary parts were starting to get good? “It'll be a great time!” she chimed in. 

“And it stopped recording.”

Dan turned to her, his breathing slightly ragged. “God damnit, Delta.”

“What?” she asked. “Why'd you end it so early?”

His lips crashed against hers for a split second before he answered, “We've got to get back to the house like, forty minutes ago.”

(~)

Delta flinched as Dan's fingers danced down the sides of her chest and her stomach. She had expected his touch to be chilly to match the outside air, but he was warm. Still, goosebumps rose on her arms. Her bare legs lifted from the bed and tightened around his waist, pulling him all the more closer. 

“What's wrong?” Dan purred against her skin, just below her navel. She cast a downward look to him, peering at his inquisitive face from over her bra. “It's not like I'm going to hurt you or anything.”

She swallowed hard, hoping her nerves would subside. It had been months since Delta had last taken her shirt off in front of a man. It wasn't as if anything about her body had changed much. Her breasts were still the same handful size they always were and the tiny dot of a mole still resided on the left side of her ribs. She was still the same Delta who had willfully followed men home from bars. She wasn't different, but everything else was. 

“It's been a while,” she confessed in a whisper. She was sure Truckee and Barry were tangled up each other as well, but she hadn't heard a peep from them since they returned to the house. “And I mean, it's my first time with you.”

Dan, who had already thrown his own shirt to an unknown destination in his bedroom, pressed his palms on the bed and lowered himself, his face only inches from hers. If Delta had moved at all, their noses would touch. “Are you scared?” 

“Nervous, more like.”

His lips formed against hers. Hungry, but patient. “I'll be gentle.” A kiss to her jaw. “You know I will.”

Delta's arms moved in rhythm with Dan's as he slid his palm into hers, intertwined their fingers, and pushed their hands above her head. She shivered as hot air graced her skin as his mouth moved to her neck. Her grasp tensed around his waist. Teeth met the kiss to her skin, biting just hard enough to draw forth a mixed whimper of pain and pleasure. She could feel it – the sucking, the twinge, the constant craving for the pain to spread throughout her body. 

All too soon, it was over and Dan continued his journey to her chest, leaving purple bruises on Delta's pale skin as he went. “Why is this still a thing?” he muttered once the padded fabric stopped him in his tracks. 

It was as if Delta's mind was hazy with longing as she arched her back, giving Dan free range to kiss her stomach, and unclasped her bra. Without a second thought, it, too, was tossed unceremoniously into the air. Dan removed his hands from her grasp and leaned back, his dark eyes tracing every inch of her. It was unsettling at first; Delta's arms curled at her chest, blocking his view. 

“W-What're you looking at?” she stammered, heat rising to her cheeks. This was completely new. Nobody had ever reared back to stare at her like she was some sort of alien. 

Dan smirked, his hands once more curling around her sides. She felt tiny in comparison to them. “You're so...” His words faded with another kiss to her belly, his stubble scratching at her panties. “You're just so fucking beautiful, Delta.”

It was frustrating to a point. Delta could feel his bulge press against her covered entrance every time he took a moment to gawk at her. Maybe he was doing it on purpose, she suspected. Maybe he knew teasing was one of her most favored forms of foreplay. Then again, how would he know that? He must've felt – or at least noticed – the damp spot forming through her underwear, but why hadn't he done anything about it?

Dan's fingertips hooked around the elastic, urging them downward. Maybe he'd learned to read her mind. Delta had always been suspicious of that. Instead of allowing her to rid herself of them, Dan's hand went further, his forefinger and middle finger rubbing tiny circles over the wetness. Delta felt the muscles in her stomach contract as she bit down on her lip. It had been months of sexual tension between the two and he seemed intent on taking his sweet time with her. 

“D-Dan,” Delta managed to squeak out between a series of muffled moans. Her hand flew to her mouth, her teeth chomping down on the fleshiest part of her thumb. The last thing she needed was to be heard through the walls. She still wasn't sure how thin they were. 

Shaking his head, Dan's free hand pulled her wrist, saving her skin from any violent bite marks. “Nobody's going to hear you,” he assured her. “Besides, I want to know what you sound like.” 

Closing her eyes, Delta curled her toes as the friction intensified. She could feel it coming, which surprised her. Usually it took longer than this, but Dan obviously knew what he was doing. He began his touch at her clit, which he found with ease, and made his way downward in gradual strokes. Each time, Delta gripped at the blankets of the bed, a pleading mewl escaping her mouth. Then, when she was sure it would happen at any second, his hand disappeared. 

“Not yet,” Dan said, his voice seemingly deeper. He gave her one final slide of his finger. “These can go too.”

With an awkward wiggle, Delta pushed the panties down and kicked them off once they dangled from one ankle, completely revealing herself to him. She watched as his eyes brightened at the sight of her, of all she was in her entirety. She expected him to immediately jump right in, but Dan continued to take his time. He knelt at the edge of the bed, delivering barely there kisses to the inside of each of her thighs. 

Delta couldn't help but giggle, earning herself a curious glance. “Sorry,” she murmured, leaning her head back against the mattress. “I'm ticklish there.”

“That's even better.”

Dan threw her into some sort of daze – an electrified sensual daze. He nibbled, avoiding making her squirm as best he could while still leaving imprinted reminders that he had been there between her legs. He left trails of kisses everywhere but where she wanted his mouth. After what felt like an eternity, he came into contact with her apex, sending her into an overstimulated jerk. Refusing to let her move away from him in the slightest, Dan's arms looped around her legs, holding them in place. 

“Fuck, Dan,” Delta groaned, her mind buzzing. Such a minor touch, and yet it forced her body to move in a way that startled even her. 

“I can get used to hearing that,” Dan replied. “Hm, I'm not done playing.”

He went for her thighs once more, savoring the sound of her laughter. Delta's abdomen began to ache as she twitched about in his hold. And then, it slipped from her mouth, between the gasps for air and the begging moans.

“Holy shit, Dan, I fucking love you.”

Dan halted, his tongue resting at the tip of his front teeth. “What?” he breathed, peeking up from his spot between her legs.

“I-I...” Delta's heart fell. She began to tremble. Why the hell did she say that? She wasn't even sure if it was true. As she pondered on it, thinking back to every night away from him and every second she spent by his side since meeting him, the idea that maybe it wasn't true that she wasn't sure. She was sure. “I-I love you.”

At first, Dan said nothing. He merely stared, his eyes wide and shining with a hint of something that Delta had never seen in them. His silence perturbed her, made her wish she would've just stuck her finger back in her mouth and bottled that emotion up. Dan lifted himself to his feet, then crawled over her to look her directly in the eyes. 

“Delta,” he whispered, his hand carefully forming around her cheek. “You're a jerk, you know that?” He kissed her once more, greedy for her now. “I wanted to be the first one to say it.” Another kiss, begging for her and all she was. “I love you, Delta. I love you so fucking much.”


	21. The Package Deal

Delta's eyes cracked open for merely a split second before she slammed them shut. At first, she'd forgotten where she was and what had happened, and that if she truly did wake up, her dream would shatter and she'd be in her bed back in Reno. She remained still, listening to the soft breaths from behind her and savoring the warmth of the naked body pressed against her back. 

Hesitantly, she peered through the blurry slit of her eyelids. Sullen, grey walls beneath vibrant posters met her. The windows faithfully blocked out the rising sun, prompting Delta to wonder what time it was. Her phone had disappeared at some point during the night. Not that she cared. 

Delta dragged her gaze downward to the hand resting on the bed, just barely touching the skin of her stomach. A jolt of something pleasant lit inside her at the memory of the slender fingers caressing her thighs and butt as hushed reminders entered her ears that she loved her – that he was in love with her. 

She smiled to herself, despite the soreness in seemingly every part of her body. It wasn't as if Delta was out of shape; she tagged along with Truckee to the gym at least once a week. She partially blamed Dan for her pain, though the fault was mainly her own. She had been insistent that he not hold back, even after being asked time after time, “Are you sure you want that?”

Her breath caught in her throat as Dan stirred. His arm retracted to rest his palm on her hip as he buried his nose into the mess of her hair. “What time is it?” came his drowsy voice. 

Delta shrugged, intertwining her fingers with his. He gave a placid squeeze. “I don't know. My phone is currently MIA.” She turned to face him. “Does it really matter?”

“Unfortunately,” Dan replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead, “it does. Brian and I have some recording to do today.”

“Just stay with me a little longer? Five more minutes?”

“I'm not liking that odd number. Let's just round it up to ten.”

Satisfied, Delta's body relaxed once more in Dan's embrace. Her eyes drifted shut and opened within what felt like only a few seconds. The space next to her was empty, save for the bundle of blankets she had kicked to the side at some point. Running a hand over her face, Delta heard a staccato vibration and jerked in surprise. Her long lost phone had been placed on the nightstand – probably by her long lost boyfriend. 

Boyfriend?

Before she could allow herself to hitch a ride on that train of thought, she grabbed her phone and squinted at the light beaming from the screen. “ _get ur ass outta dans bed n feed me,_ ” Truckee's text read. Delta groaned as she checked the time. Nearly noon. If Truckee hadn't snacked already, that meant she would have an attitude until she got something in her belly. 

Shaking off her momentary consideration of rolling back over and pretending she hadn't woken up yet, Delta sat upright and took in her surroundings. It was odd to wake up in a man's bed; they usually woke up in hers, only to have her rush them out the door to never been seen again. She reveled in the warmth she felt in Dan's bed. If it hadn't been for Truckee, she could've spent all day there.

“It's about time,” Truckee remarked once Delta had showered and wandered her way into the livingroom. The freckle-faced woman lounged on one of the black leather couches, her phone securely in her hand as a Markiplier video sounded through it. It appeared as though she'd been up for hours; she'd been dressed in an “Enjoy California” tanktop, an old pair of faded jeans, and one flipflop dangling from her foot. The other had fallen to the floor. “How was your trip to Pound Town?”

Delta nearly choked on her own saliva as a bout of laughter rolled off her tongue. “What happens in Pound Town stays in Pound Town,” she replied, gently slapping the bottom of Truckee's bare foot. “I hope you realize I'm not cooking for you.”

Sliding her phone into her pocket, Truckee stood in a stretch and retrieved her other flipflop. “Didn't expect you to. No offense, Del, but I've seen you burn ramen. There's this little bistro that Barry told me about. I figured we could try it out.”

“I'm game.”

The cab ride to the bistro had been uncomfortable, to say the least. Delta and Truckee sat together in the back of the car, silently listening to the driver spout off about how much he idolized Eon Echo Gaming, though the dynamic duo understood only a fraction of what he said. A foreigner, the balding man in his mid-fifties had just recently moved to LA from a country neither of them had heard of before. His daughter had been a gamer and watched their channel faithfully. He'd joined in on her interest and began to pick up on the English language thanks to Delta. 

Delta had figured something was unique about him the moment she and Truckee piled into his car and he exclaimed with a thick accent, “Holy hand grenades! I-It's you!”

Truckee let out a great sigh of relief when the car stopped in front of an Italian-style bricked building. She handed the perspiring driver a few twenty dollar bills, grabbed Delta's arm, and yanked her into the fresh air. “Thank God that's over,” she murmured as the two made their way into the bistro. “I thought the dude was going to try to kiss you or something.”

“Well, what can I say?” Delta replied with a wink as she held the glass door open for her friend. “People love me.”

“People love the both of us, Del.”

Seemingly filled to the brim with patrons, the bistro melted Delta's heart within seconds. She loved everything about the interior – from the gorgeous murals painted on the walls, to the maroon clothed table covers, to the hanging glass chandeliers. Although it was just a simple eatery, the staff gave off the impression that it was a five-star establishment. A waiter approached them amiably, his grin stretching from ear to ear. 

“Good afternoon, ladies,” he greeted, grabbing two menus from a nearby counter. “Will it just be the two of you today?”

“Erm, yes,” answered Delta awkwardly. 

“Right this way.”

He led them to the only vacant table: a secluded two-top tucked away in the back corner of the room. The women took their seats and thanked the waiter as he gave the menus and briskly walked away. Delta peered over the top of hers, her eyes sparkling in anticipation. 

“Pretty swanky, huh?” she said, running her hands down the length of the velvet-covered menu. “I honestly didn't think Barry would be into places like this.”

Truckee turned her nose up, staring sideways at the elegant scrawl. Her mouth began to water at the descriptions of the food. “Barry's actually pretty high-class,” she commented, a hint of sarcasm in her tone. “It makes sense, considering he's with me.”

Raising her brows, Delta grabbed for the napkin and set it in her lap. “He's _with_ you?” she repeated. “So, does that mean you're his girlfriend or something?”

“Yeah, kind of.” Truckee pursed her lips, holding back a grin. “I have been for the last two months.”

Delta's thoughts stuck on those last two words. Two months. That meant their fling had started back in August. So much had happened since then and she was only just now picking up on the intensity between the two. Part of her felt guilty; she'd been so wrapped up in Dan that her attention refused to waver elsewhere. Truckee was one of the most important people in the world to her.

“That's quite some time,” Delta responded lowly, her gaze flicking back to the menu. “I'm sorry I haven't noticed.”

“Don't even worry about it. We've both been busy with everything.” Truckee opened her mouth to say more, but a soft melody of a song Delta hadn't heard in years emitted from the redhead's pocket. “Oh, it's Grammy,” she told as she turned to the screen. “I was supposed to call her when we got here. I'm going to take this outside. Just order me whatever you get.”

“Tell Gram I said hi.”

As if she had turned to liquid, Truckee flitted around wait staff and customers as she made her way out of the building. Delta finally decided on a double serving of Chicken Marsala and two Dr. Peppers before reaching for her own phone. Dan had tried to call once, then texted her. She hurriedly opened the message. 

“ _Good morning, my dear! Or afternoon. Whenever you decide to wake up. I'm sorry I can't spend the day with you today, but I promise I'm all yours tomorrow. I tried calling, but you didn't pick up, so I'm guessing you're either still passed out or you're off on some crazy LA adventure. Enjoy your day, and I'll see you tonight. I love you, Delta._ ” 

Smiling wildly at her phone, Delta probably looked stupid as hell. She didn't care. Dan loved her, and apparently had no issues openly expressing it to her. It was a nice change of pace; all her other boyfriends would have rather birthed a watermelon than say the dreaded L-word. Her thoughts screeched to a halt once more. There was that damn word again. 

Boyfriend. 

She shook her head and began her reply, “ _I'm definitely having a crazy LA adven--_ ”

“Excuse me, miss, but are you by chance Echo from Eon Echo Gaming?”

Irritation blasted inside Delta. It struck her as surprise; she usually didn't mind being recognized in public. 

She turned her head, immediately hitting the button to darken her phone, and met the tired hazel eyes of a man she'd never seen before. Clad in a black suit, he stood confidently before her, giving off the impression that he may have owned the bistro. He appeared to be close to her age, but the soft streaks specks in his brown beard and hair forced a hint of doubt upon her. 

“Um, yes, I am,” Delta replied slowly. 

He held out his hand toward her. Flashbacks of her father teaching her how to greet someone of this stature flooded Delta's memories, and she hurried to stand to her feet and slide her palm against his in a sturdy shake. “Waylon Mazer,” he introduced, using his free hand to adjust his slightly crooked glasses, “president of Right Force.”

The bitterness Delta had been feeling only moments ago dissipated at his words. Her heart dropped to her stomach. “Right Force,” she mumbled in disbelief. “ _The_ Right Force? As in, the multi-million dollar entertainment company and you run the entire thing?”

Waylon gave a hearty chuckle. “I created the entire thing, Miss Echo.”

Delta wanted to sit, but fought the urge. Her knees trembled and she was sure her hand was growing sweaty in his grasp. Right Force had been a growing channel when she first began her journey of streaming. They focused on top news within the entertainment industry, featured popular gamers and entrepreneurs, and ran head-to-head with PewDiePie on their subscriber count. Much like Rooster Teeth, Right Force had taken on a business standpoint of their own, expanding to twenty locations throughout the United States in just a few short years. There wasn't a single gamer alive who didn't know about Right Force. 

“Do you have a minute?” Waylon continued when Delta's dumbfounded silence met him. “I've been meaning to contact you for a few weeks now, but time hasn't allowed me the chance.”

“Uh, um, I...” Delta cleared her throat as he released her hand. She glanced past him, spying Truckee pace the sidewalk through the window. “I-I'm actually having lunch with Eon. She's my animator.” 

Understanding completely, Waylon nodded. “I see. I'll only take less than five minutes of your day, then.” He took Truckee's seat without asking permission and motioned Delta to sit back down. She did. “I believe you have the utmost potential, Miss Echo,” he told in a rushed tone, leaning closer toward the middle of the table. “I can see you fitting in very well with my team. Your skills are exceptional, you're very personable, and you keep your promises to your fans.”

“I...I-I don't understand what's happening right now.”

A grin graced Waylon's face. “Forgive me. I know this is very sudden, but I'm a busy man. I'd like you to come work for me. I can station you at any location you'd like.”

For a moment, Delta nearly laughed. This was a joke. It had to be. There was no way in hell that Waylon Mazer was sitting across a table from her in some hole-in-the-wall bistro in LA, offering a position within his company. 

“What about Eon?” she blurted, catching a glimpse of the fiery hair outside again. “And my channel? Eon Echo Gaming is my life.”

“You'll still have your channel, but...” He trailed off, obviously not prepared to finish that sentence. “And as far as Eon goes, well, she isn't the face of Eon Echo Gaming. You'll still be working with her, but not directly, if you catch what I'm saying.”

It was too tempting, and too unbelievable. Delta dropped her gaze to her phone resting on the surface of the table and pushed out a heavy huff. “I'm sorry, but no sale,” she said after a few seconds. “Eon Echo Gaming is everything to me, and Eon is part of that. We're a package deal.”

Waylon's face fell, his mouth pulling into a deep grimace. “Think it over. Here's my card. Call me when you've made up your mind.” 

He slapped a blue business card onto the table and stood from Truckee's seat. Delta's eyes followed him. “But I already made up” – Waylon, listening to nothing she said, turned on his heel and walked from her presence, disappearing behind a waiter – “my mind.”

Completely thrown for a loop, Delta sat alone, her mouth ajar, her brows knit together in utter confusion. Had that really just happened? Had someone slipped something in her drink again and now she was in a perpetual state of hallucinations? She peered down at the untouched business card.

“Del? Del, you in there?”

Delta hadn't even noticed Truckee return to her chair until her voice poked out from the billions of questions invading Delta's mind. A dainty hand waved in her field of vision and pulled away once Delta looked up. “Oh, sorry. I'm...a little out of it,” she murmured, slipping the card into her bag.

Truckee's eyes widened in horror. “Oh, God.” She reached for Delta's Dr. Pepper and took a hefty swig of it. “Seems okay,” she mused after a few moments of waiting. “I don't think anyone drugged you this time.”

Watching her best friend react with such concern for her safety touched Delta. She doubled her hands into fists in her lap and smiled. “No, I didn't mean it like that. It's just...You know Right Force, right?”

Truckee rolled her eyes. “Duh.”

“Well, the weirdest thing just happened...”

Just in time, their waiter returned with their identical plates. Between bites, Delta told of her Truckee-less moments, her stomach tightening at the look of sheer amazement written across the woman's face. Then, the amazement crumpled as Delta revealed the downside of the offer. 

“He said I'd still be working with you, but not directly,” she said gravely. 

“Wazzat mea'?” asked Truckee through a mouthful of chicken. 

Delta shrugged, her appetite gone. She fiddled with her food now, pushing it across the plate with her fork. “I'm not really sure.”

After swallowing, Truckee set her own utensil down and placed her hand on Delta's. “Don't worry too much about it, Del. We're a package deal. Nobody can tear us apart, right?”

Truckee's loyalty and optimism did wonders for the impending dark cloud over Delta's head. The blonde nodded, flipped her hand over, and gave Truckee's a squeeze. 

“That's exactly right.”

(~)

“I'm so sorry that this is such short notice!”

Suzy practically danced about her home office, gathering all sorts of brushes, pallets, and sticks of eyeliner. To ease her stress, Truckee had taken up the duty of preparing the camera in front of the chair Delta sat in, wiping the day's makeup from her face with a wet cloth. 

“Don't even worry about it,” Delta replied, scrunching her nose at the sight of all the oil and dirt that had accumulated on her face throughout the day. She made a mental note to wash her face more often. “We were just watching old episodes of The Office when you called. Well, I was. I have no clue what her and Barry were doing.” She jutted her chin toward Truckee, who have a cheeky grin. 

“I can explain in full detail, if you'd like.”

“Please don't.”

“Suit yourself.”

Pulling up another chair next to Delta's, Suzy plopped herself in it and let out a lengthy breath. “Okay, I think everything is ready. Truckee, you're going to take care of all the behind the scenes stuff, right?”

“Right!”

Delta's head snapped toward Truckee at the sound of her name escaping Suzy's mouth. When exactly had she dropped the “Eon is not my real name” bomb, and to who? Was it just Suzy? Or Suzy, Arin, Ross, Brian, Barry, and the whole damn world? Anger boiled inside her, but she cast it away for the time being. She had a tutorial to sit through for now.

Standing behind the camera, Truckee counted down from three with her fingers before hitting record and pointing toward the two women in front of the lens. Their faces lit to life with a certain feigned glee that couldn't help but shine through when they were producing content. Suzy waved with both hands while Delta simply grinned.

“Hello, everyone!” Suzy greeted, her voice a notch higher than a few moments ago. “Mortemer here, and with me today, I have Echo from Eon Echo Gaming!”

At least Truckee had the decency to keep Delta's name a secret. 

“Hey, guys!”

“We're going to be doing a special makeup tutorial for you today, focusing on a condition that Echo was born with called heterochromia. Do you want to give a little information about that, Echo?”

Delta was not prepared for this, though she'd done her research thousands of times. She kept her composure, straightened her back, and nodded. “Of course. As I'm sure you've all noticed, my eyes are two completely different colors. Heterochromia is a gene mutation that was passed down to me by my grandmother. Her eyes weren't exactly like mine. Her main color was this gorgeous blue color, almost like the sky, but there were these little specks of green in them. They were so beautiful to look at. ” 

A lump began to form in her throat at the mentioning of her grandmother. She was the first person who actually took the time to sit Delta down at the age of nine and explain the condition to her, and why she should feel proud instead of ashamed for having it. After that, the teasing at school hurt a little less.

“In many cases, it can affect your eyesight. A lot of people with heterochromia wear glasses or contacts, but that hasn't happened to me yet. I'm sure it will as I get older, though.”

There wasn't much else to say on the subject, so she looked back to Suzy to take the conversation. “That's actually, like, super cool that your grandma had it,” Suzy genuinely commented, beaming. “I-I don't know. I've always been fascinated with eye color, and I remember seeing you for the first time and it felt like my heart was going to explode.”

Delta's lips trembled. “Don't say that, dude,” she replied with a laugh, her eyes watering. “You're going to make me ugly cry and I don't want to ugly cry on camera.”

Suzy joined in on the laughter before grabbing for a container of something tan and sticky. “All right, let's get this show on the road.”

As she worked, she explained every single type of bottle and tube she opened. Many shades of powder lined Delta's eyelids – so many, in fact, that after the seventh or eighth (she lost count after three), she felt as if she were growing sleepy; opening her eyes after each blink felt labored. Again, tears sprung to her eyes as Suzy held Delta's face still in one hand and dabbed eyeliner to the bottom edge of her eyes with the other. 

The process seemed to last for hours, but Delta didn't mind in the slightest. She felt connected to Suzy in a way that she hadn't before. They cracked jokes at each other or Truckee, simultaneously reared back when Delta thought she was going to sneeze, and shared past experiences with the journey of makeup. According to Truckee, Suzy had ascended to the fifth level of makeup power, while Delta stalled at level two. Delta couldn't agree more. 

By the time the timer reached forty-five minutes, Delta heard a faraway door open and close. Close to her face, Suzy murmured that Arin must have just gotten home and to not be surprised if he poked his head in. “He has a habit of doing that,” Suzy said in defeat, shaking her head slowly. “Husbands – what can you do?”

The intruder, however, wasn't Suzy's husband. Behind Delta, the door cracked open and a tuft of dark hair popped into view. “Oh, hey, Dan,” Truckee announced, throwing a wink Delta's way. Once Suzy turned her head, the redhead mouthed, “Pound Town, part two.”

Delta flushed and began to twist in her chair, but Dan's voice stopped her. “Don't mind me. Keep doin' what you're doin'. I just want to see her.”

They paused for a moment as Suzy introduced Dan to the viewers. Dan chuckled as he made his way around the outskirts of the room. Delta's eyes trailed him. “What's up?” she asked, focusing on his lips and his fingers. Her stomach twisted and suddenly, she wished the tutorial was over. 

“This isn't live, right?” Dan questioned, looking past Delta to Truckee. 

“No.”

“You're going to edit this?”

“Yeah, later. Why?”

Without any warning whatsoever, Dan leaned into Delta, his lips crashing against hers for only a short moment. She gasped against him, but he pulled away before she could even process the action of returning the kiss. Then, he made a mad dash for the door. 

“That's all I wanted! Okay, thanks, bye!”

And with that, the door closed, leaving the three women stunned beyond words. 

Finally, after a second of looking between each other, Delta's face turned a harsh crimson. Suzy brought her hand to her mouth to stifle a fit of giggles as she looked to Truckee. 

“Don't edit that out,” she demanded. “That was too damn adorable.”


	22. Identities and Inspiration

Delta could get used to waking up in Dan's bed, sprawled out every which way and tangled with a mixture of the blankets and her love himself. By the time her eyes cracked open for the day, Dan had been awake already, silently gliding his fingers through her hair. At first she said nothing – she simply enjoyed the goosebumps that rose on her arms when he touched that sensitive spot behind her ear, and the way his soft breaths nearly lulled her back to sleep. 

The soreness throughout her body had faded; round two the night before had been much more tender and slow-paced. Instead of finding themselves caught up in the moment of months-long sexual tension finally being released, they took the time to explore each other's bodies in a way that left Delta trembling, aching for more barely-there kisses and tickles from the stubble of his beard. 

For the first time, a wave of guilt didn't wash over Delta as she thought back on her night. She didn't feel the usual need to get up immediately and flee this man's home, never to speak to him again. This time, it was right. She was meant to be here, curled up against his side, wishing she never had to leave. Delta would have stayed in his bed all day, if it hadn't been for the rapid knock at the door and the frantic, muffled voice on the other side. 

“Get up, you guys!”

Delta groaned, rousing a surprised jolt from Dan. He must not have noticed her waking up. “Good old Truckee,” she mused in annoyance. 

“Seriously! Up! Now! There's something you're going to want to see on TV!”

Intrigued, Delta sat up and glanced toward the mirror on the other side of the room. Her hair looked as though it had been attacked by a flock of wild birds and her makeup from the day before had been smeared all about her face. She cringed at her reflection before shouting out the reply, “Okay, hang on! I need to do something with” – she motioned to her appearance, though she knew Truckee couldn't see – “this disaster.” 

“Disaster?” Dan's arms snaked around her waist, his hands slipping up the shirt of his that Delta had slept in. It was at least four sizes too big for her and two sizes too big for him, leaving the unanswered question as to why he bought it in the first place. “Far from a disaster, Delta. In fact, I think you look painfully sexy right now.” 

A giggle parted Delta's lips as his fingers found their way to her breasts. “Dan,” she murmured, pushing his hands downward. “I'm actually a little curious. She sounded a little...off.” 

She hurried to dress herself and attempted to run a brush through her chaotic mane before tiptoeing into the living room. The hardwood floors chilled the bottoms of her feet, forcing a shiver up her spine. She instinctively wrapped her arms around herself as she gazed upon Truckee's grimace. The redhead, however, paid no mind to her. Her eyes were too busy staring at the paused screen of the TV, her slender fingers twirling the jewel hanging around her neck. 

“What's going on?” Delta asked meekly as she glanced toward Barry, who sat on couch with a frown of his own on his face. 

Barry's dark eyes lifted toward her and a sigh flew from his mouth. “I think we figured out why Lucas is so obsessed with you.” As Dan approached Delta from behind and planted a kiss to her head, Barry lifted the remote and resumed the broadcast. 

“...crossing the California-Nevada border,” the news reporter announced gravely. Delta's focus locked on the picture of Lucas next to her head. “Victor Pereira has been the target of a nationwide police search since his first murder in 2015. Under more than a dozen aliases, Pereira has used the Internet as a main source of tracking women and committing nine counts of first-degree murder.” 

Delta's mind slammed to a halt. Lucas, who had never been a Lucas in the first place, was a murderer – wanted for the deaths of nine other women. Her stomach lurched. She'd spent time with someone who killed another human being, texted him when days without Dan had proven to be too much, and even considered sleeping with him at a point. Something horrid settled on her tongue.

“Oh my God,” she whispered, bringing her hand to her mouth. 

Unsure what to do with her body, Delta shut her eyes tightly and tangled her fingers into her hair. Another pair of arms were around her before she could collect her thoughts. “You're okay,” Dan crooned as he pried her hands from her head. “It's okay.”

Delta felt rigid, slightly alarmed that the soothing tone of his voice was doing little to calm her down. The skin-crawling realization that she was so close to a terrifying fate flashed through her mind repeatedly. “No, it isn't okay!” she snapped. She expected Dan to flinch from her, but his hold remained persistent. “I-I could have been killed! Lucas...he – I...” 

“Hey.” Dan grabbed her shoulders roughly enough to keep her in place once he began to notice her restless feet. “He can't hurt you now – ever. That guy is going to spend the rest of his life in prison.”

“Or get the death penalty,” Barry chimed in. “Either way, he'll never be able to find you again.”

With a nod, Truckee added, “No more creepy voicemails on your phone, or seeing his ugly mug at conventions.”

Delta knew they were right, but she couldn't shake the feeling that bugs were crawling all over her skin. Groaning in disgust, she turned on her heel and made her way toward Dan's bedroom. “I need a shower,” she deadpanned. “Scalding hot, to get all his murder germs off me.”

Much to her dismay, Dan didn't follow her as she slipped into his bathroom, stripped herself of her clothes, and lost herself in the steam that fogged the mirrors. She ran her hands through her hair, curling it into buns against the prickling water. The whole situation brought forth a sickening twist in her gut; she'd associated with a murderer, someone who she once considered a friend. 

Delta shook her head, watching as the halfhearted buns loosened and clumps of damp hair stuck to her face. She should be happy, she figured. Thankful, even. But something was tugging her back. The realization of what Lucas – Victor – truly was overwhelmed her exhilaration. She'd probably come so close to ending up as one of his victims on multiple occasions, and she'd been blind to it. 

“So, you're just going to hide away in the shower?”

Delta barked out a yelp of surprise and failed in her attempt to catch the shampoo bottle before it smacked against the shower floor. She sighed, picked it up, and poked her head around the curtain. “What are you doing in here?” she questioned, watching as Truckee lifted herself onto the bathroom counter. 

“Just came to talk.” Truckee shrugged and crossed her legs. “This whole Lucas thing is pretty crazy, right? Speaking of Lucas, you didn't answer my first question.”

Resuming the act of washing herself of every piece of grime that could have lingered on her skin from the last time the freak touched her, Delta shivered. “Can we never say that word again again? Lucas isn't even his real name.”

“Still avoiding my question, Del...”

Delta turned up the heat of the water. “No, I'm not going to hide away in here,” she spat. “I just...I feel gross. That fucking guy touched me, Truckee. Multiple times. A-And he...God, he killed _nine_ women.”

The buzz of an electric razor harmonized with the rush of the water before Truckee turned it off. “Yeah, he did, and it's really shitty that it happened,” Truckee replied curtly. “But it didn't happen to you, Del, thank God. Still, you can't panic over it all day. He's locked away forever, so that means you can explore the Getty Center with us without constantly looking over your shoulder.”

“The what?”

“The Getty Center. It's a museum I've been wanting to go to, and you're coming. So hurry up and get out.”

If anything, Delta admired Truckee's persistent optimism. Growing up, she often wished she could absorb that personality quirk, but no such luck yet. However, she knew Truckee was right, so she rushed to finish cleansing herself of the devil and turned the water off, nearly laughing at the appalled look written on Truckee's face as she stepped out.

“Jeez, Del, take it easy on the boiling water next time, huh? Your skin is redder than my hair.”

(~)

The drive to the museum did wonders to take Delta's mind off Lucas. As she, Truckee, and Barry piled into Dan's car, she felt an odd sense of relief while looking at her phone and finally coming to the understanding that that monster's name would never pop back up on her screen. She wouldn't have to worry about him knowing where she was at all times, and she could enjoy future conventions without the looming threat that he was probably watching her from the shadows with a bag of drugs for her water.

Dan buckled his seat belt and glanced at her beaming face. “Someone's feeling better,” he commented, sporting a smile of his own. 

Nodding, Delta slipped her phone into her pocket. “I think that initial thought of 'holy crap, I could've ended up on those criminal drama documentaries' finally wore off.” 

One of the things she loved most about Dan was that the sound of his laughter never ceased to lift her spirits and send her stomach into a series of flips and turns. Part of her wished Truckee and Barry weren't in the car with them; the urge to crawl into Dan's lap and kiss him until they were both breathless prodded at her. 

The ride to the Getty Center was short-lived, unfortunately. The four spent the time singing to Disney songs as horribly as they could and rated the others on the worst tunes they could muster. Delta had never been much of a singer, so most of the ratings went to her, and Barry practically begged her to sing the Game Grumps opening for videos around April Fools Day. That was still months away, and Delta hoped he'd forget about it when the time came. 

As expected, the Getty Center was packed, reminding Delta of her high school days when shoving other students out of the way to make it to class on time was a necessity. She kept her hands wrapped around Dan's arm as they weaved through crowds just to get into the building. Once inside, however, the masses thinned out, giving them more than enough space to venture out and take in everything around them. 

Delta had only been to one museum in her life. It had been tiny in comparison to this one, lacking in both paintings and sculptures. Dashing from one work of art to the next, she felt like a kid in a candy store. Every piece was something new and exciting to her, and her mouth ran constantly. Whether it was to announce to Dan that she'd just seen the greatest thing ever for the fifth time, or to spout questions about the art that Dan had no answers to, her lips were never still for more than a minute. 

Finally, Dan's hand tightened around hers and his mouth silenced her. “I love you, Delta,” he murmured as soon as he broke away, “but you are driving me crazy.” 

Confusion struck Delta. “Crazy, as in...the good kind?” 

“Well, yes, always. But I don't know any answers to your questions about this stuff.” The end of his words broke out into a chuckle, which fell flat in only a few seconds. His grin dropped, as did Delta's heart. It was a complete flip of how he'd been the entire time they wandered the vast hallways in silence, sneaking quick peeks at the other and allowing their hands to brush when the other least expected it. 

“What's wrong?” she asked, grasping his wrist as his hand delicately touched her cheek. 

“Nothing, I just...” Dan's dark eyes flicked about her face before he spoke again. “Just thinking.”

Delta opened her mouth to question him once again, but Truckee cut her off before a single word could get out. “This should be on display here,” she announced as she lowered her phone. Neither Dan or Delta had noticed her taking pictures. “Adorable. Also, I'm convinced that security guard just saw me snap that picture and I think it's against the rules. We should go. You guys hungry?”

The day was tumbling by rapidly. Delta glanced at the time on her phone. Nearly two in the afternoon, which hardly made sense. Maybe she'd rolled out of Dan's bed later than she had thought. The mentioning of food forced a growl to her stomach. She had been the only one who skipped out on breakfast; the news about Lucas ruined her appetite entirely. 

“There's a little spot to eat here,” Truckee went on to say, jutting her chin toward a sign that guided them toward the eatery. “Apparently, it's one of the best places in the entire city.”

Barry, who had been standing off to the side with his phone pressed against his ear, sauntered toward Dan and led him from Delta. This, she didn't question. She figured it was something related to Game Grumps and joined Truckee as they began their trek toward food. Delta hoped there would be burgers. 

“This place is pretty cool, isn't it?” Truckee reflected as they passed by another portrait of a young boy with too much and not enough emotion on his face. “I wonder how much some of this art is worth.”

“Probably more than everything we own combined,” Delta shot back, stuffing her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. “I wish I could paint like this.”

“You can. You'll just have to dedicate your entire life to it.” They shared a knowing glance and a comforting smirk. “But I know you couldn't do that. Your life is already dedicated to the channel and Dan.”

Delta rolled her eyes and peered back at the two men. Whoever they were speaking with was on speaker now, but they refused to come within earshot of Delta and Truckee. “I wouldn't say my life is dedicated to Dan. Just...y'know, everything I do and think is starting to revolve around him, but those are just minor details.”

Truckee began to hum Mendelssohn's Wedding March, earning herself a playful shove from the blonde. 

The men caught up to them just as they approached the register to order, insisting that they pay for their food. Delta, who had nearly jumped for joy when she spied a mouth-watering avocado bacon burger on the menu, began to protest, but Truckee's hand inconspicuously slapped her thigh. 

“Let them do it,” the redhead ordered in a harsh whisper. “It's a guy thing. You've got to get used to it.”

Delta grimaced, but said nothing. 

“So,” Barry began as they took their seats in a freshly cleaned booth, “who's taking care of your cats?”

Sighing, Delta ran a hand over her face. She'd been trying not to think of the cats and their caretaker during their trip. “My dad is,” she explained, her hand reaching for her pocket. “I should probably check in on him. He's not really a cat person, and always made comments that their whiskers freak him out and--” 

A much bigger hand caught hers before it touched her phone. She met Dan's eyes, her heart fluttering as he grinned. “I'm sure your dad can handle two cats,” he said gently. “Enjoy right now, and that unhealthy burger you're about to eat.”

“It isn't unhealthy,” Delta shot back with a grin of her own. “It has avocado on it.”

(~)

Delta examined herself in the mirror in Dan's bedroom, pushing out a huff of frustration. Her glare glided over the various outfits strewn out across his bed behind her. A mixture of her clothing, Truckee's clothing, and Suzy's clothing, the pile seemed to be growing larger every time the bedroom door opened. She bit her lip, turned sideways, and made an attempt to arch her back and squeeze her thighs at the same time. A chorus of giggles sounded behind her.

“Just face it,” Suzy said as she pulled out another shirt from the pile, “either your boobs are too big, or your butt is. Honestly, it isn't a fancy bar. You could get away with jeans and a tanktop.” 

“You'll be too plastered to notice anyway,” Truckee added under her breath. 

Through the reflection of the mirror, Delta watched the two weed through the clothes, trying to set out an outfit that would fit her. Her irritations lifted, replaced by some odd sense of humor. She fought back a laugh, pondering on the idiotic fact that she refused to wear clothes of her own. She adored Suzy's dark style and Truckee's girl-next-door style. Though they were two completely different worlds, they both shared the common trait: undeniable sex appeal. 

And that's what Delta wanted. 

“What if fans see me out tonight?” she fretted, tugging on the worn Blue October band-tee. She'd had the thing for years now. 

Suzy shrugged and tossed a pair of black and red plaid shorts onto the floor. “You could literally wear the ugliest Christmas sweater and old-school rave pants with Crocs, and people would still be all over you.”

In the end, Delta ended up with her own clothes: an Eon Echo Gaming tanktop, frayed denim shorts, and her trusty flipflops. She inspected herself in the mirror gleefully, despite the frowns planted on her friend's faces. She offered a sheepish smile. “Thanks for bringing all your clothes in here,” she said meekly as Suzy began to stuff her own items into an over-sized travel bag.

“ _Roses are red and--_ ” 

Quick as lightening, Delta's phone was snatched from the bedside table and pressed against her ear. “Hello?” she barked.

“Delta?” came her father's gruff voice. “Where the hell do you keep the damn cat food?”

Her heart skipped a few beats. “You haven't fed the cats yet?!” she almost screamed before reminding herself who exactly she was talking to. One wrong slip of a tone, and he'd be flying down the freeways with the gas pedal to the floor to whoop her ass. “The cat food is under the counter next to the fridge.”

Suzy and Truckee watched her curiously as she paced the room, listening to the grunts and low curses as her father fiddled with the baby protection locks she'd put on the cabinets. Cats were troublemakers, and Chief and Cortana were smarter than they seemed. “Jesus, Delta, why the hell do you need to dad-proof your entire apartment?”

“You've got to be smarter than the plastic, Dad.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

It took a few moments, but he seemed to have finally gotten it. Then, after taking a moment to clear his throat, he demanded, “Put Truckee on the phone.”

“I – What? Why?”

“Because I told you to.”

Brows knit together in bewilderment, Delta hesitantly held her phone to Truckee. “My dad wants to talk to you.”

Truckee grabbed the device and shoved it between her face and her shoulder as she motioned for Delta to turn around. As she spoke, she kneaded her hands through Delta's hair and began to pull it back into an elegant French braid. “What's up, Dave?” 

Delta paled; the only people brave enough to call her father anything but David were her mother and Truckee. 

As Truckee prattled on with David, Delta tried to listen in on what was being said. She wasn't getting much from her end; Truckee's only sounds were single-worded hints of acknowledgment and answers. Then finally, she said, “Oh, yeah, sure. I mean, we technically don't leave here for a few more days, but I'm sure that won't be a problem.”

“What won't be a problem?” Delta whispered. She winced as Truckee tugged at her hair. 

“Yep. Okay. Okay. All right. I'll let her know. Thanks, Dave. Bye!” Without giving Delta a chance to say anything more to her father, Truckee hung up and handed the phone back. Delta could see the sly smirk on her face as she hurriedly finished the braid. “Your dad loves me.”

“Only because you remind him of his first wife.”

“Probably. Anyway, he wants to meet Dan.”

Something awful punched Delta right in the gut. She closed her eyes, let out a pathetic moan, and buried her face in her hands. “How'd he find out?” she mumbled into her palms. 

“Probably the Internet,” Suzy suggested, checking the time. 

Truckee shrunk in on herself. “Or...I may have told your bother.”

Delta whipped around, anger flickering behind her eyes. “You what?” she hissed.

“I didn't really mean to!” Truckee defended. “Dustin was curious about the stuff popping up on the Internet, and I told him you were kinda...sorta...dating Dan.”

Without so much as a second thought or a filter, Delta's words flew from her mouth. “Fucking seriously?” she spat, standing to her feet. The braid suddenly felt tight against her head. “Dan and I aren't even actually together! Why the hell did you think it was okay to tell him?!”

From the corner of her eye, Delta saw Suzy's mouth drop. 

“Because,” Truckee retorted as she crossed her arms over her chest, “they're your family, okay? Just because you don't want anyone knowing shit about you doesn't mean you can leave your family in the dark. If I had parents and siblings, I'd tell them everything just like I tell you!”

Delta's heart seized, but her bitterness remained. How dare Truckee throw the family argument in her face? To make her feel bad? It wasn't Delta's fault that--

“Hey, c'mon,” Suzy interrupted. “They're all waiting for us. Besides, you guys are soul sisters. You shouldn't be fighting like this.”

Biting her tongue, Delta fought the urge to tell Suzy to mind her own fucking business.

(~)

By the time Suzy pulled into the parking lot of a small, red-bricked building, Delta's vexation had simmered only a bit. Truckee, on the other hand, pretended as if nothing had happened. She sat confidently in the passenger's seat of the car, making comments about everything she deemed interesting that they passed. Her indifference annoyed Delta.

“This is the Winchester Room,” Suzy announced as she turned the car off. “Like I said, not too fancy. Actually, I think we're overdressed.” Her awkward laugh also annoyed Delta. 

Suzy had parked next to Dan's car, but he was nowhere to be seen. He, Arin, Barry, and Ross had left for the bar hours before the women had even started to prepare themselves for the night. The skies were already dark, the streetlights already illuminating sidewalks. As they entered, Delta realized just how fortunate they were to find a parking spot; the place was over-packed. A rush of anxiety flooded through her. 

Neon signs of various readings provided much of the lighting in the room. The scent of smoke wafted here and there, and Delta knew she'd have to wash the smell from her clothes and hair the second she got back to Dan's house. A group of burly men gathered around a pool table, hollering their buddies on as they lifted their beer bottles high into the air. 

A stage had been build into the ground, adorned with its own speaker system, TV screen, and microphone. A karaoke bar, Delta assumed. The perfect place for Dan. 

From one of the scattered crowds, Arin appeared and grabbed his wife in a secure embrace. “Finally!” he shouted over the music. “What took you guys so long?!”

Suzy yelled something in his ear, but he didn't seem to hear it. If he did, he brushed it off as if it were nothing and motioned for the trio to follow him. Intertwining fingers, they formed a line to maneuver through the bodies until they reached a table in the far corner of the room, closest to the stage. Empty bottles and shot glasses sat forgotten on the table's surface. 

The moment Delta's eyes locked with Dan's, a weight lifted from her shoulders. She skipped to him, catching him in a sloppy kiss as his arms wrapped around her. He tasted like whiskey. So that's where the booze went. 

“Holy fuck, you look good,” Dan said as he buried his face in her neck. 

“I do?” she answered, mildly surprised. 

“Hell yeah!” Dan turned to Barry and pointed toward Delta. “Dude! Do you see this?!”

Barry didn't hear him; he was too focused on Truckee, who was already guiding him toward the bar for another round of shots. 

The night fell into a series of throwing back beers and shots of unknown content while Suzy and Arin watched in excitement, listening to horrible covers of songs from drunken patrons, and bathroom breaks seemingly every five minutes. The women traveled to the beaten room together; it was normal for Truckee and Delta to hold a conversation while urinating, and Suzy lingered to help one of them up if they tumbled onto the floor. Luckily, that didn't happen. 

“Look, I'm sorry, okay?” Delta mumbled as she and Truckee washed their hands. They spoke through the mirror, completely oblivious to the fact that they were standing right next to each other. “I didn't mean to get so pissed. It's just, you know how I am with privacy.” 

“I-I get it,” answered Truckee, her eyelids half-closed. “You're like, super down with being private and I get it, you know? It's fine, okay? I didn't mean to piss you off.” They caught each other in a wobbly hug. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. And, like, I love Suzy. Suzy, c'mere.” Delta held out her hand for Suzy, who rolled her eyes playfully and squished herself between their moment of drunken adoration. 

There was a faint knock at the bathroom door, and a plea for them to get out or whoever was on the other side would pee their pants. They broke apart and followed Suzy back to their group just in time for Dan to dance his way onto the stage. Delta took the seat he had been occupying and took a sip of whatever he was drinking. It tasted fruity at first, but left a sour imprint on her tongue. 

“This...This song is for a really awesome woman I know,” Dan spoke into the microphone, squinting into the crowd. Either the darkness impaired his vision, or the booze had. Delta couldn't figure out which one, but her chest warmed at his words. Beside her, Ross gently jabbed her with his elbow. 

“Wonder who it is?” he teased. 

“It's one of my favorite songs,” Dan went on. “So, I figured it would be perfect to sing to my girlfriend. Oh, wait.” He stalled, his eyes finally landing on Delta's face. Holding out his hand to her, he seemed to put in a little extra effort to not fall onto his face. “This,” he announced as he pulled her onto the stage, “is Echo, and I just realized I haven't actually asked her to be my girlfriend.”

Delta stared out into the sea of unfamiliar people. Some had their phones raised to record what was going on, some couldn't care less and had their backs turned toward them. Words couldn't find her.

“So, pretty lady,” Dan said, curling a stray strand of hair behind her ear, “what about it? You down with the Dan-Man? Wanna be my G-F, my better half, my girlfriend?”

The second Delta burst into laughter and nodded her head, those who actually cared broke out into applause and cheers. Even the bulky men around the pool table clapped and whistled. Dan pulled her in for a quick kiss just as the song started, and Delta recognized it immediately. She hurried to skitter off the stage, where her friends high-fived her and patted her on the back. 

As Dan began to sing, Truckee took Delta's hand and pulled her toward a group of people who had already started to dace. Together, they swayed back and forth, nearly toppling over now and then, and catching each other when it happened.

“ _You know our love was meant to be. The kind of love that lasts forever,_ ” Dan belted out, somewhat off-key but still making for an impressive performance. “ _And I want you here with me from tonight until the end of time._ ” 

Delta peered over Truckee's shoulder, her lips parting in a wide smile as she spied Arin and Suzy wrapped in each other, their foreheads pressed against each other as their gazes held strong. Every so often, their lips would touch and it was as if it was their first kiss all over again.

“ _You're the meaning in my life; you're the inspiration! You bring feeling to my life; you're the inspiration!_ ” 

A few feet from Arin and Suzy, Barry and Ross had found each other. With giant, dumb grins, they twirled each other around and attempted dips. However, once Ross dipped Barry too low and dropped him, they quickly abandoned that endeavor and went to order another beer.

Leaning her cheek against Truckee, Delta hazily watched Dan lose himself in the music. At times he would meet her stare, other times he would jokingly point to the DJ, who pretended to melt and wipe away his fake tears. The other couples in the bar seemed to be enveloped in themselves, which brought forth a comforting flutter in Delta's stomach. 

Looking up at Dan, she tried to remember the last time she'd felt so strongly toward someone – the last time she'd been so hopelessly in love. Her mind came up blank; she couldn't pay attention to anything but his voice and the words they formed. 

“ _Want to have you near me! I want to have you hear me saying: no one needs you more than I need you!_ ” 

Much to her dismay, the song was over much too soon. Although many cheered and demanded on encore, Dan waved to them and hopped off the stage. His arm snaked around Delta's waist, stealing her from Truckee. Instead of feigning a pout, Truckee dashed off to Barry, who greeted her with a peck on the lips and another shot of what looked like a Washington Apple. Dan pressed his lips to Delta's forehead as another person took his place on the stage and grabbed for the microphone, announcing a song Delta had never heard before. 

The music blasted, forcing Delta to holler out her next words. “Do you want to meet my dad?!” she asked, ignoring the nagging voice in the back of her head. 

“Fuck yeah, I do!”

“A-Are you sure?”

His words didn't answer, but the way he pulled her close and settled his hand on the small of her back told her that fuck yeah, he was sure.

(~)

Strangely enough, home didn't feel quite like home anymore. Truckee shoved the key into the lock, turned it, somberly pushed open the door. A trail of coffee grounds, empty Dr. Pepper cans, and miscellaneous papers met them. The cats had apparently been busy, and David had apparently not cared.

“Wow, I don't want to be here,” Delta admitted as they stepped through the threshold. The apartment felt lonely without two male voices booming down hallways. 

“Same,” replied Truckee, stepping over the trash. Neither of them were concerned with cleaning at the moment. 

The pain from their goodbyes still ate away at them. Delta, Truckee, and Suzy had all tried to not cry, but failed. They shared tight hugs and Suzy wished the two safe travels back to Reno. Delta refused to watch her best friend say goodbye to Barry; she had her own excruciating departure to deal with. 

Dan had pulled her in close the moment she looked at him and simply held her. He'd planted kisses on her forehead, her cheeks, her lips, his hands trembling ever so slightly. She had begun to cry again, and could tell that he was blinking back tears of his own. She was thankful for that – she couldn't even stand the thought of Dan crying. 

“Back to our old lives, I guess,” Delta mused as Truckee tossed her car keys onto the couch. 

“How long until we have to start streaming? I'm a little hungry.”

“You're always hungry,” murmured Delta, pulling out her phone to check the time. A text from Dan waited for her, sent five minutes ago. She immediately opened it. 

“ _Hey, baby, when you get home, let me know. We need to hop on Skype. There's something I need to talk to you about face-to-face._ ” 

Delta closed her eyes and groaned. “That's just great,” she said mostly to herself as she typed out a response that she was home and about to turn on her computer. 

Glancing up from the bundle of mail David had collected during their absence, Truckee asked, “What's great?”

Delta was already on her way to the office with the cats trotting along behind her. “We haven't even been together for three full days and I'm pretty sure he's about to break up with me.” 

Opening the door to the office, Delta dreadfully pressed the power button on her computer and plopped onto the chair with a heavy sigh. Whatever this was, she didn't want to hear it. Something told her she wasn't going to like what Dan had to say. 

Once Skype was brought up and their connection secure, Delta's heart pounded at the sight of Dan's face. He sported his glasses, which made the whole situation better and worse. What Delta didn't understand, though, was the curious expressions of the people around him. Suzy, Arin, and Barry had crowded the screen, just barely fitting into view. Half of Arin's face wasn't visible. 

“Um, what's going on?” Delta asked as Suzy began to shuffle through some papers. 

“Two things,” Arin replied, his eyes flicking every which way. “Where's your sidekick?” 

Perplexed, Delta grabbed an old notebook and threw it against the wall that separated the office from Truckee's room. Moments later, her fiery mane popped into view. “What's up?” 

“Get over here,” Barry snapped, his twitching lips pulled into a deep frown. “We have some important matters to discuss.”

As Truckee took a seat on Delta's lap, she whispered, “Dude, what the fuck is going on?” Delta had no answers. 

Suzy brought a fist to her mouth and cleared her throat. “Ladies,” she said with importance, “we've been talking it over and over and over, and we have a proposition for you.”

“Um, okay.”

Arin took the lead. “We've done all the research, picked out a few places that are affordable and not in a shitty part of town, and basically did all the boring crap for you.”

“Uh, 'kay. We don't und—”

Barry let out some inhuman noise to silence Delta. 

“Here's the proposition: you guys move here and basically merge with us,” Dan explained. “Eon Echo Gaming can become somewhat of a branch of Game Grumps. We'd share an office, a city, and food most days.”

Suzy had continued to give details that they'd already looked into apartments for them and were more than willing to help with the move, but Delta's mind had slammed to a halt as soon as Dan had finished speaking. She'd never lived anywhere besides Reno, so the idea of it forced a mixture of fear and excitement into her. Her family would be an entire state over instead of fifteen minutes away. She would be thrown into a completely new place, knowing only a handful of people. 

“Wait,” she said, holding up a hand and looking to Dan. Suzy's mouth closed. “You're not breaking up with me?”

Dan's head tilted to the side, his eyes narrowing. “Um, no?” he answered as everyone behind him stifled their own variations of giggles. “Why would I break up with you?”

“Just...the way you worded that text was pretty misleading.”

“My bad,” he said with a laugh. “I was just excited. I tried typing that thing at least four times.”

“So,” Suzy butted in, “what do you say?”

Silence fell over the call as Truckee and Delta turned their heads toward one another. A million things were rushing through their minds, a million possibilities with a million different outcomes. There were so many things to factor in: Truckee's grandparents, Delta's parents and siblings, and most importantly, the cats. How would they adjust to the move? There was no way in hell they would be left behind. 

Finally, a spark lit behind their thoughtful expressions. They turned their attention back to the screen. 

“We're game.”


	23. Scraped Knees

Drumming her fingers on the steering wheel, Delta sat silently in her car. She pushed out a breath that had been held in for much too long and closed her eyes tightly. She didn't want to look at the house anymore, although it pained her to feel this way. After all, she grew up in this home. Within its too-thin walls, her friendship with Truckee had bloomed, as did the idea for one day starting their own YouTube gaming channel. She'd taken her first steps here, spoke her first words here, and now, she was leaving for good.

Her grandmother popped into her mind. Delta couldn't help but offer a small smile at the memory of the one person who could make her feel like her eyes were the most beautiful creation ever made. She focused on the window to the right of the Halloween-decorated front door. How many hours had Delta sat in that bedroom, listening to her grandmother tell her stories of her late husband? Delta had never met him (he had passed from a hemorrhagic stroke five years before she had been born), but she loved him. She loved the way that just his name forced her grandmother's quivering lips into a broad smile, she loved the way his antics made the both of them giggle, and she loved the love that he gave. Everywhere he went, it was like bringing sunshine through rainstorms. People adored him and all the things he did. 

Delta swallowed the hard lump in her throat and blinked back a series of tears. She wished her grandmother was around to see all the great things that had happened in her life over the last few months. More importantly, she wished she was around to meet Dan. 

Just as her thoughts shifted to him, his voice filled the car. “Whenever you're ready, Delta,” Dan said, unbuckling his seat belt. 

Delta hadn't noticed it before, but sweat had begun to bead her forehead at some point. It couldn't have been from the heat – or lack of it; temperatures were dropping everyday – so she blamed it on the simple fact that she would soon be introducing her boyfriend to her entire family. This included her worry-wart mother, her war-hardened father, five incredibly judgmental brothers and their families. If she could go back in time and kick her own ass for putting this all in motion, she'd do it in a heartbeat. 

When she had called her mother to announce that she would be bringing Dan by in a week to meet everyone, a high-pitched squeal met her. It had frightened her at first, but then a thought had stuck her: this was a first for Delta, and for her family. She'd never brought a boyfriend home before, making this occurrence a reason to celebrate. Her mother had put together a small family reunion of sorts and had invited everyone. That included the rest of the Game Grumps crew and Truckee. 

Delta had advised her mother that not everyone from Game Grumps was coming to help with the move. It fell on deaf ears, and she continued to answer questions of what kind of soda everyone liked. 

“I don't know if I can go through with this,” admitted Delta as she made eye-contact with another head poking into view from a window. “I'll have to introduce you to everyone, and there's no way in hell you're gonna remember all the names, and the kids are going to be climbing all over you.” She groaned and dropped her head onto the steering wheel. “Oh, God, the kids. Why did they have to bring them? Their fingers are always so sticky and they're always getting into shit and--”

“Look at me.”

With some hesitation, Delta eventually lifted her head and turned her fretful gaze toward Dan. By the way his lips twitched, she could tell he was holding back a grin. The steering wheel must've left a mark on her forehead. 

“Everything,” he whispered, placing his pointer finger underneath her chin, “will be fine. I have a way with parents.” 

His thumb traced invisible lines on her cheek, and Delta leaned into his touch. More than anything, she just wanted to sit in the car with him and avoid introducing him to everyone forever. But deep, deep, _deep_ down, she knew Dan was right. No matter how this turned out, everything would be okay...eventually. 

“Okay.” She lingered against the warmth of his palm for just a moment longer before pulling the keys from the ignition and opening her door. 

The moment she stepped foot onto the gravel driveway, the front door of the house swung open and three miniature versions of her brothers raced her way. Without giving her a chance to steady herself, they hooked their sticky hands around her arms and legs in awkward embraces, shouting her name at the top of their lungs. Grateful that there wasn't a fourth kid hanging on her, Delta did her best to ruffle each of their heads of deep russet hair and keep her smile on her face. 

She loved her nephews, sure, but they disgusted her. 

“Aunt Del! Mom says you're leaving!”

“You're not leaving, are you?!”

“Tell us you're not leaving!”

Delta pushed out her best attempt at a laugh and pried them from her limbs. “Never mind that for right now. I want you guys to meet someone.” As if on cue, the boys immediately turned to look at Dan, their eyes widening in wonder. “This is Dan. He's my...my boyfriend. Dan, this is Noah, Clark, and Reese. They're my nephews.” 

Both fortunately and unfortunately, the boys released Delta and hurried to Dan, nearly tripping over each other to get to him. Without any warning, they exploded into question after question. How'd he get his hair to poof out like that? Why was he so tall? Why did he like Delta? How old was he? Did he have any kids that they could play with? Where did he live? It seemed to never end, until Delta heard her name being called.

The voice was like music to her ears, though she'd heard it just that morning before Dan, Suzy, Arin, and Barry showed up at her and Truckee's apartment. Her mother stood in the doorway, her arms opened for a hug. Delta wasted no time running across the dying lawn and allowed herself to melt against the person who gave her life. 

“Hi, Mom,” Delta whispered against her mother's hair. It matched the exact shade of blonde as Delta's. “It's been so long.”

Her mother squeezed her closer. “Only a few months,” she replied thickly. “I know you're busy, honey, but it's just a fifteen minute drive.”

“I know, I'm sorry. I just--”

“Oh my goodness, Delly. Is that _him_?”

Frail arms fell from Delta's body as the two women latched their attention onto Dan, who had crouched to the boys' level and laughed heartily at a joke one of them had told him. Something Delta had never felt before grew inside her. Whatever this calming, gentle sensation was started in her gut and spread to the bottoms of her feet and the tips of her fingers. She couldn't take her eyes off him. 

“Yeah,” she managed to breathe, “that's him.”

As if Dan was fully aware that he was the topic of the new conversation, his glistening eyes settled on Delta's mother and that lopsided grin graced his face. He told the boys something out of earshot, stood, and approached the women in three large strides. Naturally, he towered over Delta, but her mother was an entirely different story. At more than a foot shorter than Dan, she tilted her head back just to look at his face. Endearing as ever, he held out a hand toward her.

“Hello, Mrs. Foxtrot,” he purred. Delta could've sworn he wiggled his eyebrows. “I'm Dan Avidan.”

Delta watched as her mother's mouth threatened to drop open. “Valerie, but you can just call me Val.” In a flash, she looked to Delta and settled her hand in Dan's for an absentminded shake. “ _This_ is Dan?”

“Yes, Mom. He just said that.”

From the way Valerie openly gawked at Dan, Delta's fear that her mother wouldn't like him closed in on itself. Not that it was much of a fear to begin with; she assumed winning over her mother would be the easiest part. Her father, however, was something to worry about. Over the years, Delta had seen the way he introduced himself to other men: respectful and kind, but a subtle hint of overpowering masculinity in the way he offered a vice grip handshake and in the way his chest seemed to build on itself. 

She knew it was coming, but she was going to hold off on that interaction for as long as possible. 

As Delta, Dan, and Valerie turned to enter the house, Delta felt a soft pat on her back and heard her mother's voice whisper in her ear, “Good job, baby. He has a nice smile.” 

Delta flushed. Usually used in public places like parks or malls, having a “nice smile” was their code phrase for, “He has a nice ass and yes, I checked it out.”

The house was absolutely crowded. Three of Delta's brothers stood around lazily in the livingroom, watching a football game on TV and casually sipping from the beers in their hands. Their Delta senses must have tingled because they simultaneously tore their attention away from the screen and hustled over to her. Long-lost homesickness hit Delta as they immediately began to chatter about anything and everything, their voices mushing together to form some sort of deep flow of words. Whatever they were telling her went in one ear and right out the other. Delta stood on her toes and yanked them together in a hug. 

“Will you guys just shut it for three seconds?” she said with a laugh. 

She felt three arms gracelessly circle around her as best they could, but they felt rigid. Only moments later did she realize they were staring Dan down, their eyes narrowed in curious glares. She sighed and pulled away, knowing she should've realized the part of their father that resided in each of them would come out the moment they saw him. 

“Um, so, okay.” She drew in a deep breath, watched as Valerie retreated to the backyard to tend to whatever she had cooking on the BBQ, and reigned in control. “Guys, this is Dan. We're dating. And Dan, these are my brothers: Dustin, Darren, and Damien. Our dad really likes D names.”

Dan, who couldn't have looked more relaxed, repeated the names as he looked from brother to brother. “It's nice to meet you guys,” he said, shaking their hands. Delta wondered how hard they were gripping. 

Much to her dismay, her name was called from the kitchen. Leaving Dan alone with her brothers – her gigantic, muscular, intimidating brothers – was almost too scary to think about, but whoever was shouting her name sounded frantic. As she began to walk away, Dan offered a reassuring smirk and resumed answering something Damien had asked him. 

Upon entering the kitchen, Delta's heart leapt into her throat and her feet moved before her brain could process exactly what was going on. The day seemed to be full of hugs, because she found herself wrapped up in another one. This time, the arms weren't so beefy and the body wasn't huge in comparison to hers. 

“Delta!” cried out the woman in Delta's arms. “It's been too long! How've you been?! Wait, don't tell me yet!” 

Ever so lithesome, Delta was pulled toward the dining table. She sat on one of the chairs that must have been at least a hundred years old, only to inch closer to her sister-in-law. With excited grins on their faces, the two leaned in close, their knees touching. 

Besides Truckee, Penny had been Delta's high school life-line. The two had met the summer before their junior year at a concert for a local band that actually made it big. They'd found each other in the bathroom, both trying to get away from the boisterous crowds for just a moment. Without realizing it, they'd spent an hour and a half in a stall, just talking about anything from Delta's dreams of one day being a famous YouTuber, to Penny's aspirations of making her mother proud by being the first in her family to graduate college. 

Now, Delta was moving to LA to continue her dream, and Penny was a successful pediatrician. 

“Okay, now tell me!” Penny said, flicking her black curls over her shoulder. “How are things? I've been keeping up with Eon Echo Gaming, you know?” She let out a wispy chuckle and grabbed Delta's hands. “So strange to think that you started with the very first Halo, and now you're kicking ass with Halo 5.” 

Penny had been faithfully obsessed with Eon Echo Gaming since before day one. She'd been in the same room with Truckee and Delta when they came up with the name.

“Things are good,” replied Delta as Penny squeezed her hands. She liked that about Penny: she wasn't scared invade personal bubbles. “Great, actually. Um, you do know I'm moving...right?”

Rolling her eyes, Penny nodded. “Duh, D. That's why we're all here.” Her smile fell. “It makes me a little sad, but I'm happy for you. People do big things in LA. You've already been doing big things, so it's the perfect place for you.”

There was a knock at the wall from the living room. Dan stood, looking slightly out of place. Penny's mouth dropped open, her hands released Delta's, and some odd noise flew from her mouth. Delta hadn't taken notice to these things, and stood to plant a quick kiss on Dan's cheek. 

“Dan, this is my sister-in-law, Penny,” she said, arching a brow as she looked toward Penny. “Penny, this is--”

“Leigh Daniel Avidan,” Penny finished as she hopped to her feet. “Co-star of Game Grumps a-and singer member of Ninja Sex Party and holy fuck, Delta, you didn't tell me you were dating fucking Dan Avidan!”

Oh, and Penny never missed an episode of Game Grumps. 

Dan, curling his arm around Delta, held out his free hand. “I take it you're a fan.” Delta nearly laughed at the amount of charm dripping from his words. “It's very nice to meet you, Penny.”

Although Penny managed to shake his hand, Delta feared she would pass out at any given moment. Luckily, the final brother made an appearance from the laundry room, finishing a sentence as he shut the door leading to the backyard. Dylan kissed the top of Penny's head and looked toward Delta and Dan. 

“Honey,” Penny squeaked, placing a hand on her husband's chest, “you know that show I watch on YouTube every day?”

“Game Grumps?” replied Dylan, much to Delta's surprise. Never in a million years did she expect those words to come out of his mouth without a trace of chagrin. “Yeah, Delta's dating one of the guys from it.” Unlike her other brothers, Dylan was the first to hold a hand out to Dan. “Hey, man. How are you? I'm Dylan.”

There was a moment of silence as Dan studied Dylan. Finally, he took a second to look back over his shoulder at Dustin, who was pacing the living room with his phone pressed to his face. “Didn't...Wait, hang on,” Dan muttered in uncertainty. 

“I guess Delta forgot to tell you. Dustin and I are identical twins.”

Relief flashed across Dan's face. “Oh, thank God. For a second there, I thought I was losing it.”

As Dan and Dylan fell into a conversation of their own, and as Penny stared in absolute fascination, Delta forced her mind to catch up with everything that had happened in such a short period of time. Dan had met all of her brothers, her sister-in-law, her mother, and her nephews. That just left her father. Panic surged through her at the reminder. Why did she save the worst for last?

A soft touch to Delta's shoulder brought her from her internal bout of hysterics. She turned to meet the dazzling face of Zane, Dustin's boyfriend. A striking man in all aspects, Zane had long ago been the subject of Delta's daydreaming. During her high school days, she had assumed he spent the majority of his time at her house because he shared in the way Delta felt about him: infatuated, to say the least. Then one day, she caught him kissing her brother and everything fell into place. 

“Zane!” she greeted, pulling him into a tight hug. “I didn't know you were coming!”

She had always enjoyed his embraces; it was a huge factor of her faded crush. Even now, being pulled into his arms was a rush of bliss for her, but its effects had faded. It was like hugging another brother. 

“I managed to slip out of work early,” Zane replied sheepishly as they pulled apart. “So, finally getting out of Reno, huh?”

“Yeah. I mean, it's been a long time coming.”

“Zane,” snapped Penny, finally tearing her gaze from Dan. Without another word, she pointed toward Dan.

Zane's brows – the perfect brows that Delta had always been envious of – lifted in surprise. “You've got to be fu -- freaking kidding me,” he whispered, catching his slip of the tongue when he noticed Noah running by. “Delta, please tell me you have a good reason for hiding the fact that you're dating Dan Avidan.”

“Um, I wasn't really--”

“Delta Echo.”

Paired with the heat of embarrassment, Delta's blood ran cold. The room fell silent, the world seemed to slow. Delta, her mouth suddenly dry, turned.

“Hi, Dad. I want to introduce you to someone.”

(~)

Delta's fingers couldn't move quickly or accurately enough. She had misspelled the word “please” five times, and couldn't sit still long enough to read through her text before sending it to Truckee. Finally, she gave up and settled with the simple, “ _pleas hurry up and get over here because dad is meeting Dan and I'm freaking the hell out so get over here right now I swear to god you need to get your ass here. He's going to murder Dan._ ”

Stomach in tight knots, she leaned back on the bed that she called her own so long ago. In the confines of her old bedroom, she, Zane, and Penny lounged about while David interrogated Dan. Although her two friends tried their hardest to calm her fears, their words only tripled her concerns. 

“Your dad isn't too bad,” Penny began after telling Clark to go play outside for the umpteenth time and closing the door behind him. “I mean, he questioned me for almost three hours when Dylan first brought me here to meet you guys, and I survived.”

Delta remembered that all too well. Penny had come over in an adorable summer dress, and David immediately chastised her for wearing it. Apparently, March was too early in the year for such attire. 

“Yeah,” chimed in Zane as he thumbed through one of Delta's forgotten Kingdom Hearts strategy guides. It had been tossed onto her old bookshelf years ago, left to collect dust. “Think of how scary it was for _me._ ”

That memory was just as vivid. Zane and Dustin had been dating for two years before David met him. The realization that his son was gay didn't bother him at all. It was that Zane was a fan of the wrong kind of music. According to David, Def Leppard was the greatest band of all time and there was no arguing that fact.

“I mean,” Zane went on, casting a fleet glance in Penny's direction, “your old man still hates us, but he tolerates us. Better than nothing, I guess.”

Delta groaned and shoved her face into a pillow. “I just wish I could be in there with them.” 

“Is Truckee coming over?”

Checking her phone again, Delta shrugged. “She hasn't answered. Probably bumping uglies with Barry or something.”

Both Zane and Penny let out a dreamy sigh.

It had been almost half an hour since Dan agreed to follow David into his private study, which is all reality was just the den with an oversized TV, a recliner, and a table to hold beer and pretzels. Delta was told not to follow, and was subsequently dragged to her bedroom by Zane and Penny before she could protest.

The worry set in instantly. Dan was...different, to say the least. He wasn't in the military, he wasn't a beefcake, and quite honestly, he was one of the most sensitive men Delta had ever encountered. She could only imagine in horror of her father's reaction to learning that Dan had made a career with bands called Starbomb and Ninja Sex Party in which he sang about dicks and engaging in a hefty amount of butt sex. Still, Delta loved him all the same, though she knew David would feel the exact opposite. 

“Do you think Dan could out-run David?” Zane wondered out loud. 

Penny shrugged. “Probably. I mean, he has those long legs, and lately David can't make it up a flight of stairs without stopping to catch his breath.”

The door to Delta's bedroom opened and Penny inhaled to, yet again, tell her son to go play outside. Instead of Clark, Dan stood there, an accomplished grin plastered on his face. Delta, Zane, and Penny all jumped to their feet, amazed to see him so soon and so...alive. 

“That was fast,” Penny commented.

A certain sort of smugness touched Dan's features. “Well, I just so happened to notice your dad's San Jose Sharks coffee mug and we've spent this entire time talking about sports,” he admitted nonchalantly. “Delta, did you know your dad wanted to play for them in college?”

Dumbfounded, Delta had to collect herself before figuring out how to reply. “Um, no. He never talks about his college days.”

“Really?” Dan fought back the urge to laugh. “That's weird.”

David's booming voice practically rattled the walls from downstairs as he shouted that food was ready. As some sort of instinct, everyone with the exception of Dan flinched at the sound of it. Scanning the looks of anxiety on their faces, he cracked a smile.

“Coming, Dave!” he called out, motioning for everyone to start for the stairs. 

As Zane passed Delta, he managed to whisper out of earshot, “What the hell kind of Twilight Zone did we just walk into?”

At the bottom of the stairs, a petite body collided with Delta's. Truckee giggled, waving about the unopened bottle of beer in her hand, and curled her free arm around Delta's shoulders. The house had become even more packed during the time Delta spent pacing the floor of her bedroom; Barry, Suzy, and Arin now lingered about, looking slightly uncomfortable while Truckee bounced from person to person, exclaiming how good it was to see them after so long. Even David seemed excited to see the freckled face. 

“Am I too late?” Truckee murmured into Delta's ear. “Did Dave already murder Dan?”

Shaking her head, Delta replied, “No. I think the opposite happened, actually.” She jutted her chin toward the kitchen entrance. 

Dan had led his fellow Grumps over to Dave, where he introduced them one by one. He shined with an uncanny resemblance to Delta's brothers: he casually leaned against the counter with a beer in his hand. The perfect picture of cool, calm, and collected. Whatever he said next must have been hilarious, because Dave barked out an extended laugh and patted him on the back. From the corner of his eye, Dan caught Delta and Truckee observing, and cast a wink their way. 

Maybe Dan had been right, Delta thought as she took a sip of Truckee's beer. Maybe everything would be okay after all. 

There was a choking gasp behind Delta that nearly scared her right out of her skin. Penny had rounded the corner, her eyes wide at the sight before her. “Oh my God,” she whispered, bringing a hand to her mouth. “Is that...? I-Is that Arin and Suzy and Barry from the freakin' _Game Grumps?_ ”

Noticing the fascination, Truckee slid toward the woman and placed her hand on the small of her back. “It sure is, Penny Lane. C'mon, let's go talk to them.”

(~)

Dinner had been a whirlwind of conversations. Between Suzy and Penny's rambling about different brands and shades of eye-shadows, the shrieks and laughter of the younger boys, and the amiable debate between Dan, David, and three of the brothers about past presidential elections, the surrounding noise dulled to a hum of voices in Delta's ears. Instead of throwing herself into any of the conversations, she remained silent as she chewed and pounded back beers. She took it all in, constantly reminding herself that this probably would never happen again.

Like Dan had told her, everything turned out okay. Better than okay, actually. There hadn't been a single hiccup all night. Everyone loved the food, the company, and most importantly, David hadn't gotten drunk and decided to let the world know about his distaste for his daughter's career choice. It had been a nice change of pace, him not badgering her about it. 

After her belly had been filled and her mind floating in a slightly intoxicated haze, Delta found herself back in her bedroom, idly standing in the middle of its four walls. Her eyes flicked about at the posters on the wall that her mother had never taken down. Her teenage years had apparently been a flurry of random musical obsessions, from Green Day, to Tokio Hotel, to Britney Spears. 

She sat on her bed, wincing at the sharp squeak of the metal frame. Although it had technically been turned into a guest room since Delta moved out, her room made her feel incredibly nostalgic. An urge poked at her, growing stronger with every touch. Closing her eyes, she gave into it and settled her head on the pillow, rolled onto her back, and stared up at the ceiling. Through another poster, Master Chief's face met her as her lids popped open. If she focused hard enough, it almost felt as if she were fifteen all over again, lost in her dreams of someday being the best at Halo and falling into her adoration of what Rooster Teeth was just starting to become. 

Delta ran her hands over the surface of the blankets and rolled onto her side. Her old TV had remained where she last moved it when she was freshly twenty-one and headset on grabbing life by the horns. It had been the very first time she had rearranged her bedroom without the input of her mother. An act of rebellion of sorts. The worst act Delta could think of at the time. 

She considered moving her furniture about again, just to change it up, but she knew there was no time for it. The family gathering was winding to a close, which meant her brothers would return to their separate homes and her parents would stay in this house while Delta moved to a new state. 

Something scorched Delta's throat. Her eyes misted over. 

The option to drive the meager fifteen minutes whenever she felt homesick no longer existed. She couldn't show up at her mother's job when she needed to just see her face, or stroll through the hallways of the home she grew up in when she was searching for something she left behind all those years ago. The faint scent of garlic-infused cooking would soon be forgotten, as would the way the bathroom door sometimes wouldn't lock. After some time, she wouldn't remember any of it. The quirks of her new home in LA would fill her mind. 

A quiet knock at her door pulled her from her reeling thoughts. Delta figured Truckee or Penny would be the one to interrupt them, but when she pushed herself from the bed and opened the door, David stood there, his face as hard and stony as ever. 

“Oh, hi, Dad,” Delta greeted, surprised. “That's, uh, the first time you've ever knocked.”

At first, David said nothing as he sauntered past his daughter. Clasping his hands behind his back, he peered about the space, his lips pursed into a thin line. It was an awkward interaction; David wasn't the silent type. Whenever he approached Delta, he had an objective – a question, a command. Then, he cleared his throat and spoke. 

“Close the door.”

There was no hesitation. Delta had long ago learned that when her father gave an order, he didn't have the patience for second-guessing. The door latched shut behind her, and David let out a lengthy breath. 

“Delta,” he began, his eyes still traveling the room, “I know all these years, you were the one I was the hardest on.” His voice was thick. “You're my youngest, my only girl. Before I had any of you, I always imagined myself a father to boys. Never a little blonde, pig-tailed girl who ran to me whenever she scraped her knees and needed me to kiss them.” 

David huffed out a muted chuckle. 

“When your mother and I found out we weren't having another boy, I was scared shitless. What was I supposed to do with you? I knew how to raise boys, but you?” 

He glanced back at Delta, making brief eye-contact before turning his attention to her window. My Little Pony stickers were still plastered on the glass, faded from years and years of sun exposure. She'd always seen them as a reminder of her childhood days.

“I've been in three car wrecks, jumped from a plane more times than I can remember, and fought in a war, but you terrified me more than any of that combined. Your brothers were reckless and liked to kick and spit on to each other. You, on the other hand, were delicate and soft. You didn't like to stick your hands in mud or wipe boogers in your brothers' hair. All you wanted to do was play those damn video games.”

“Dad,” Delta butted in as soon as he paused to take a breath, “are you okay?” Witnessing her gruff and tough father expose so much emotion concerned her. “You don't usually say stuff like this or...y'know, talk to me this much in general.”

He went on as if he hadn't heard a word she said. 

“When you were seventeen, do you remember coming into the kitchen early in the morning and making me coffee? You always made my coffee just right. No cream...”

“...four heaping tablespoons of sugar,” Delta finished with a cocky grin. “Sometimes I blame myself for your diabetes.” 

David's chin began to tremble. “I remember the morning you didn't make me coffee. I remember...I remember coming downstairs and wondering why the house didn't smell like my mornings with Delta. You were sitting at the table, waiting for me.”

The memory felt like a punch to the gut. It was the morning Delta decided to tell him that she wasn't interested in following in his footsteps. “Daddy, I need to tell you something,” she had said, trying to stop the shaking throughout her body. “I'm not going to join the military...”

“'I don't want to do it.' I felt like such a failure as a father.” David cleared his throat once more. “Dustin, Dylan, Damien, Darren...They had all done what I had expected of them as my children. They enlisted, and they served their time. But you – you did what I least expected. I worried about your future. If all you wanted to do was play video games, how were you going to make enough money to get by? After I kicked the bucket, how was my little girl going to get through life?”

A breath hitched in Delta's throat. “You? A failure as a father? I thought you were disappointed in me, Dad.” 

“I have never been disappointed in you, Delta. I just wanted you to be taken care of after I go.” 

He turned to face her, and her heart broke. Tears had gathered in his eyes. This was something she'd never fathomed. For the longest time, she wondered if he even had the ability to cry. But here he was, crimson-faced and blurry eyed. 

“You moving away like this scares me as much as I was when you told me your decision. I can't be there to kiss your scraped knees or teach you how to change a tire.” David hurried to wipe at his face as a few tears spilled over. “You'll be okay, though. That man out there is everything I've ever hoped for in someone you're dating.”

Fighting back tears of her own, Delta tilted her head in confusion. “He is? How? I thought you always wanted me with someone who was like you – all military and sports and beer.”

“What did I tell you about assuming? All I wanted is for you to be with someone who admires you and would do anything for you.” Nodding, he added faintly, “That's Dan.”

In two small steps, David was directly in front of Delta. He gingerly grabbed her forearms, his skin hot to the touch. She stood straight, looking him in the eye. 

“I'm so proud of you, Delta. You've proven me wrong time and time again, and I couldn't be happier. You defied me and you perused your dreams, and now look at you – I can't even go buy a pack of smokes without seeing your gaming thing's name on the front of a geek magazine.” 

“They're not called 'geek magazines,' Dad.”

“Doesn't matter. What matters is that you made something of yourself by doing something you love. That's where I went wrong with the boys. I shaped them into what I wanted them to be. I couldn't do that with you.”

David sighed and brushed away tear cascading down Delta's cheek with his thumb. 

“I'm going to stop beting around the bush. No matter what, Delta, I'm going to support you. I love you more than you can imagine, and I'm so proud of the woman you've become. I got so lucky to have you for a daughter.”


	24. Fishes Out of Water

It was like saying goodbye to her parents all over again. 

Delta stood in the center of her empty bedroom, surveying the naked walls and the spaces where her furniture once stood. She ran her bare toes over the indents in the carpet, trying to ignore the haphazard stains where soda and wine had been spilled. Thinking of how pissed the management of the apartments would be when they saw the damage that had been done to the place, she savored the overwhelming relief that she would never have to see them again. 

The keys had already been turned in, the moving truck had already been loaded, the cats had already been securely tucked away in their crates in the backseat of Truckee's car. All that was left was actually leaving. 

And leaving, Delta found out, was the hardest part of all of this. 

The lump in her throat seemed to be stubbornly lodged. No matter how many times she swallowed and attempted to blink away the mist in her eyes, they stuck around. Over the last four years, she had grown to love the apartment she shared with her best friend. So many things had happened during their time together: drunken arguments that resulted in the two of them passed out in the bathtub, watching fireworks on the Fourth of July from their balcony, pulling dozens of all-nighters because they couldn't put down the controllers. 

Bidding the place a final farewell felt like she was breaking up with all the memories it held within its walls. 

Wrapping her arms around herself, Delta closed her eyes and thought back to the day they first moved in. Truckee had been a bundle of pure excitement; getting away from the watchful eyes over her grandparents was a dream come true. She'd taken countless pictures of the two of them holding their keys, a gigantic grin on her face, while Delta stared toward the camera like a deer in headlights. Moving away from her family was terrifying. Although she knew they would still be there, she couldn't rid herself of the empty feeling in her chest. 

“Hey, beast.”

Delta's eyes snapped open at the soft voice. She whipped around and tightened her arms at her stomach. “Hey, Truckee,” she murmured. 

Truckee was silent at first. She clasped her hands behind her back and sauntered about the room, finally stopping at the window. “Are you sure you're okay with this?” she questioned, her eyes trailing a cop car that sped down the street, sirens blaring. 

“Yeah. Why?”

“You just seem a little down in the dumps.” Truckee shrugged and leaned against the wall. “It isn't too late to back out, you know. We can get our keys back and--”

Delta shook her head, allowing her arms to fall to her side. “No, I want this.” She swallowed once more and the lump disappeared. “It's just...I don't know. After saying goodbye to my family yesterday, and now we're leaving the apartment, it just all feels so surreal.” Something clicked inside her brain. “I almost feel the way I did when the channel started taking off.” 

As Truckee grinned, her eyes crinkled at the edges. “It does feel that way, doesn't it? This'll be good, Del. We'll get to live in a whole new place, meet new people, start a completely different life. We're going to love it.”

With a heavy sigh, Delta nodded. Truckee was right: the move would be a good thing – for the both of them, and Eon Echo Gaming. Working alongside the Game Grumps crew meant more time to focus on their new careers. Delta could continue doing what she loved with the people she loved, and honestly, how could life get any better than that? 

The door creaked open behind them, and Suzy's cheery face popped into view. “You two ready?”

Delta and Truckee both answered with a quick nod and followed her out, their hands clasped tightly together as they went. 

“Plus one confidence?”

“Plus one confidence.”

(~)

Peering through her rear view mirror, Delta sucked in a deep breath. Behind her, Suzy waved from her own car, and behind her, Arin let his arm fall limp from the window of the moving truck. His lips moved silently, and his palm tapped against the metal on the outside of the truck. The final vehicle, Truckee's bird shit covered car, pulled beside Delta's and came to a stop. Barry grinned from the driver's seat, while his redheaded companion peeked over her sunglasses.

“No stops!” Truckee barked out, fighting a grin of her own. “No bathroom breaks, no snack breaks, no nothing!” 

As Barry pressed his foot to the gas pedal, Delta listened to Truckee's hollers of excitement for California living growing fainter with the distance between them. She closed her eyes, gripped the steering wheel tighter, and tried to cast away the doubts that were beginning to gnaw away at her. She nearly jumped at the gentle touch to the back of her right hand. 

“Are you sure you don't want me to drive?” Dan questioned from the passenger's seat. Delta hated the worry flashing behind his eyes. “It's a long drive, and I really don't mind, Delta.”

Stubborn as ever, she shook her head and put the car into drive. “I'm sure,” she replied with absolutely no conviction. “Driving usually helps my nerves.” 

Delta knew he didn't believe her, but he didn't press the matter anymore. 

The first half hour of the drive consisted of Delta telling stories of her childhood. She didn't realize how fascinating growing up with four older brothers was, but she rambled on and on as Dan threw an endless amount of questions her way. It took her mind off the move, and she wondered if that was his intention or if he was truly interested in her early life. 

“I bet they loved playing with you,” Dan assumed as he traced invisible circles on her skin with his thumb. Even though the chilly air still seeped through the windows, his hands were warm. “Did your brothers fight over who got to hang out with you next?”

With a short chuckle, Delta rolled her eyes. “Hardly,” she replied. “The twins liked to play this stupid trick on me. It was easy for me to tell them apart, but they would pick days where they would switch pieces of clothing without saying anything, and pose as each other. So, when I went to talk to Dustin, it was really Dylan, and they'd all stand around and laugh at me.”

“That's terrible!” Dan shot back with a laugh. “Makes me glad Dana didn't have a twin. Speaking of, I'm going to have to introduce you to my sister sometime.”

That decision filled Delta with a certain sort of dread. She'd never met the families of anyone she had ever been involved with. Her high school boyfriends were never concerned with that aspect of their relationship with her, and her random flings during her adulthood were just that: random flings in which she would spend a few days, maybe a week, with them, and then ditch them forever. There were no feelings involved, just simple hook-ups. 

“It doesn't have to happen right away,” Dan went on, taking note of her sudden silence. “I know how stressful meeting the family can be.”

Taking this as an excuse to tear her gaze away from the road for the first time, Delta settled her gaze on him for just a moment. He looked so relaxed and serene. “You didn't seem to have any trouble meeting mine.”

“Like I told you before, I have a way with parents, and the rest of the family is usually pretty easy.”

Delta just hoped everything would fall into place for her when the time came to meet the rest of the Avidans. Back when Delta had little to no idea what Game Grumps was, she'd sat down with Truckee and watched videos that had mentioned Dan's father. He seemed like a sweet man – albeit a bit odd – who loved his kids and his wife, and was just generally happy. As for Dan's mother, Delta didn't know quite as much, but she figured if she just kept a smile on her face and threw in a few overly cute giggles here and there, she'd be in the clear. 

The road before them seemed to stretch on indefinitely. The radio station dipped in and out of static as they drove through mountains and traffic tunnels, and there was certainly a change in the air quality. That was something Delta knew would take some time getting used to. Nevada was dry country, and California at least had some moisture to the air, aside from the smog. The closer they ventured toward the coast, the stickier Delta's skin felt. Before long, all she could think about was showering – showering in her new apartment. 

“Okay, here's a question.”

“Here's an answer.”

Delta bit down on her lower lip, trying to pull back the slight grin. “This place you all found for Truckee and me...What's it like?”

“Well, the pictures hardly show it justice.” Delta had prayed this was the case; the pictures Arin had sent her weren't the best. Then again, not everyone was a natural born photographer, especially on a phone. One of the pictures had just been of the gray wall in the entry hallway. “It's great. I really think you guys will love it. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, an island in the kitchen, gigantic livingroom so the cats have more room to destroy.”

“You know them so well.”

“Oh! And get this: a freaking fireplace!”

Delta's head whipped to the side, her eyes wide with excitement. “You guys got us a fireplace?!”

With a mischievous smirk growing on his face, Dan wriggled his eyebrows and sent a wink her way. “We got you a fireplace,” he replied, dropping his voice to a deep pitch. “Daddy knows what you like.” 

A shiver ran up Delta's spine as she stuck her tongue out in disgust. “Ugh, God,” she muttered as Dan's facade shattered and he burst into a fit of laughter. “Please don't call yourself daddy.” 

“Can I call you daddy?”

“Only on Sundays.”

(~)

Dan's description and Arin's pictures absolutely did not hold up to the true beauty of the new apartment. After an almost eight hour drive, the cars pulled up to a building Delta had thought she'd been in before. In all actuality, it resembled the Four Seasons Hotel she and Truckee had stayed at during NeonCon, and Delta's reaction was still the same.

“This is the right place?” she questioned, concern beginning to eat at her. “It looks like a castle.” Then again, she soon realized, most large buildings looked like castles to her. Yet another thing she would have to get used to. 

“A castle for a queen,” Dan answered as he reached around to the backseat to grab the first of many hauls. “And her best friend, and their two cats.”

A breath hitched in Delta's throat as she turned back to look at him. He smiled down at her, giving her that same reassuring look that even though she was scared shitless, everything would be okay. It was the same look he had given her when Eon Echo Gaming had teamed up with Game Grumps at the meet-and-greet so long ago, and when Lucas had found her at NeonCon. Dan grabbed her hand, brought it to his mouth, and gave her knuckles a light kiss. 

“Ready?”

Back in Reno, if he had asked if she were ready, of course she would've told him that she was, though it would have been a lie. Doubts had invaded her mind before they left, almost tempting her to slam on the brakes and rethink everything. Eon Echo Gaming had been doing fine back in that awful little city – it would have kept its pace. 

But Delta was ready for this new Los Angeles life. She was ready to see where Eon Echo Gaming would take her, and where her relationship with Dan would lead. 

She nodded and pushed out a final, “Ready.”

They stepped out of the car, Dan flung one of Delta's many backpacks over his shoulder, and made their way into the gated community. Truckee and the rest of the crew met them at the office doors. Truckee was already bouncing out of her skin, and skipped over to catch Delta in a tight hug. 

“Do you see this place?! There's a pool – and a hot tub!” 

“And a fireplace!”

“A fireplace?!” Truckee looked to Barry, appalled. “You didn't tell me about the fireplace!”

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Barry replied in mock anger, narrowing his eyes toward Delta. She shrugged and grinned. 

Beside Delta, Dan let out a soft, almost inaudible gasp. “Hey, guys, let's let these two go in and do all the boring signing stuff while we grab their junk,” he suggested. It took Delta a short moment to figure out what he was doing, but when she did, she felt warm relief wash over her. While Suzy and Barry definitely knew their true names, Delta wasn't sure if Arin was in on the secret. And signing legal papers to rent an apartment wouldn't accept their stage names. 

There were no qualms with Dan's idea, so after a few quick parting words, the group split into two. Delta and Truckee entered the office and came to an immediate halt at the sight of it. Adorned with a gorgeous glass chandelier hung from the domed ceiling, surrounded by a spiral staircase that led to the second floor, the interior of the leasing office seemed even more like a castle than it did from the outside. Marble busts of exotic animals stood proudly in the corners of the large room, and a roaring flame danced wildly in a fireplace tucked away in a cozy-looking lounge area. 

The sound of heels clicking against the floor demanded Delta and Truckee's attention. From a hallway off to the side, a model appeared, holding a black binder to her chest as she approached them. Delta's mouth nearly dropped at the sight of her; with huge jade eyes and flaxen hair that tumbled down her back in loose curls, crimson lipstick and a navy blue blazer that accented her hourglass figure, she was probably one of the most beautiful women Delta had ever seen. 

“You two must be” – the woman took a quick peek at the binder – “Ms. Foxtrot and Ms. Johnson, I presume?”

Even her voice was magical. Much like Dan's, it stuck in Delta's head instantly. 

Delta and Truckee shared a slightly panicked glance before Truckee nodded and said, “Um, yeah. I'm Truckee and this is Delta.” 

The two were definitely underdressed in their jeans and hoodies, but the woman didn't seem to mind as she reached a hand out toward them. “A pleasure,” she said, flashing a perfectly straight smile as she shook their hands. “My name is Lucy. I'll be your leasing agent during your residency with us. If you'll just come with me, we'll go over your contracts and get your into your new home right away.”

Reluctantly, they followed Lucy down the hallway she came from, gawking at the sheer elegance of the place. Paintings that must've cost a fortune lined the walls, and they almost avoided stepping on the silk rug that must've cost more than the two of them had made from Eon Echo Gaming combined. Lucy's office did nothing to make them feel any sort of comfort. Sitting in the two leather chairs that felt more like thrones, Delta and Truckee were definitely two nerdy fishes out of water. 

The signing process was luckily the same as it was when they chose the apartment back in Reno. A non-smoking facility, minor damages can be turned over to the maintenance department while major damages will have to be paid for out of pocket by the tenant, quiet hours begin at 10 PM. Silently, Delta and Truckee sat still while Lucy flipped through papers and pointed out where they needed to provide their signatures and initials. Then, once the final page had been flipped, Lucy set the contracts aside and folded her hands atop her desk, staring at the two in confusion. 

“May I ask a somewhat personal question?” she muttered, keeping her voice low. 

“Um, sure, go for it.”

There was a pause as Lucy looked between the two, sizing them up, trying to get a feel for who they truly were. “What do you two do for a living?” Then, without waiting for an answer, she continued, “This situation has most certainly thrown me for a loop. Most of our tenants are owners of companies, or have connection to people with money.”

Delta let out a heavy breath. Lucy knew there was something up here. It probably wasn't everyday that two women in their late twenties waltz in looking like teenagers and sign papers for a high-end apartment. “I play video games for a living, and Truckee draws.” Short and to the point.

Lucy's brows lifted. There was no way she was buying that, but it was the truth. “Huh,” she breathed, then went back to business. She gathered the contracts and placed two identical keys on the paperwork. “Well, ladies, it was a delight meeting the two of you.” Lucy held out her hand once more, this time gripping slightly harder as she shook their hands. “I do hope you enjoy living with us.” 

Delta and Truckee wasted no time snatching their keys and bolting from the office. Just outside, Dan, Arin, Suzy, and Barry stood idly by, waiting for them. When they came into view, four grins spread across their faces. 

“So,” Suzy began, “how'd it go?”

Delta grabbed a suitcase from Suzy's hand and glanced toward Truckee, who couldn't help but shake her head and smile. “The leasing agent probably thinks we're leaders of a drug cartel or something,” she blurted with a laugh. 

“I'm sure she'd believe that story before the video game and drawing one,” Truckee threw in, twirling her new set of keys around her finger. “C'mon, beast. Let's go home.”


End file.
